The New Trio
by Astropurple009
Summary: Ruby finds herself completing mission after mission when she comes into town one day to see an odd sight and a strange and sad surprise. *Rosewick* She never thought things would be so different after helping a couple of old enemies
1. To Trust Again

**This is my first one 3 I'm a huge fan of RWBY and I love Rosewick :) Enjoy**

It had been two years after the fight with Cinder that Ruby and her team won against them and she was just about to start her third year with Weiss, Blake and Yang. Things had quieted down a lot; except for the population of Grimm continued to grow regardless of what bad guy they had taken down. Mercury and Emerald had went to prison for a long time while Roman and Neo got out for cooperating with General Ironwood. Cinder was executed for the crimes she had committed over the years.

Blake was happy that the Faunus had equal as rights just as much as the humans did (the White Fang disbanded after Cinder's death). Weiss was on her way of fixing her family's company from the corruption her father had pulled the company down into. Yang was still looking into finding her mother and why she had left her all that long ago. Ruby continued to train hard to become the huntress she always dreamed she'd be.

Luckily Ruby had started taking up bounty missions that offered her money; her time spent out in the field made up for the classes she missed when she was gone. Yang had followed suit but she took a few less jobs than her little sister considering she wanted a social life. Ruby always tried for team missions but everyone was so busy with their own things it was near impossible.

Ruby spent her last summer training with her Uncle Qrow so she could go into the field alone and without protest from her sister or her other team mates. She had finished three missions with him when he deemed her worthy of going alone, putting her on the fast track to starting her third year almost a full fledge huntress. She smiled happily every time she came back from a mission whether she was scratched head to toe or completely unharmed. Ruby wanted to spend most of her life on the battle field or so she had thought.

Ruby had grown only a couple inches since her first year but her hair managed to reach the length to her bottom. The ends of her hair was still bright red and the rest black as night. She wore a black dress the reached mid-thigh length with red lace peeking out about an inch down. She wore thigh high black stockings and the same pair of boots she had her first year including her hood too. She wore a new black corset with red lace and strings.

Ruby had just finished her last missions to retrieve some stole files from a petty gang she chased down after they had been on the run for three days straight. She sat down at one of the restaurants and ordered a cheese burger, fries and large glass of milk. She leaned back in her seat pulling out her scroll to see a message from her uncle for completing her thirty fifth mission alone but none from her sister. Yang wouldn't message her while she was in the field unless it was important.

She started eating as fast as she could so she could get back to her new apartment she had bought ten missions ago and actually sleep in her bed for once. She liked being at Beacon but everyone was always gone and she felt lonely being there. Ruby sat her second glass of milk down when she saw something move between the buildings in a weird motion.

Ruby sat her glass down staring at the building. She didn't know what to think, but she got up and tipped her waiter and paid for her food. She made her way to the large gray building very slowly just in case someone decided to attack her. She poked her head when she saw two people in white and one of them was leaning on the wall.

Ruby scratched her head. She knew them alright but she thought maybe she was crazy; maybe like someone had cast an illusion and she was caught in the middle of it. The one leaning on the building was Roman Torchwick and the other was Neopolitan. Neopolitan looked worried flinging her hands making gestures at a rapid rate and to be honest Roman didn't look all that great either.

She noticed that their white coats weren't as white as she thought; they were covered in dirt stains and looked like blood too. Their clothes were riddled with clothes and they looked malnourished. Ruby frowned; this had upset her greatly because she didn't want anyone to look unhappy or sick or hurt.

Ruby took a deep breath and started walking towards them slowly; she didn't want to alarm them. Neopolitan turned around quickly looking at her with fearful eyes. Roman had barely looked at Ruby when he collapsed onto the pavement. Neopolitan jumped to his side shaking him furiously trying to wake him up but it didn't work.

"Is he ok?" Ruby asked, worried for him.

Neopolitan whipped out her sword from her parasol pointing at Ruby; her eyes threatening Ruby.

"Listen, I just want to help; is he sick?" she asked.

Neopolitan shook her sword at her furiously.

"Please…"

Ruby caught a whiff of their clothes and they smelled horrible; almost like they haven't been washed in weeks.

"Please I'm not gonna cause you any problems I just want to" Ruby had started but she was cut off when Neopolitan thrust her sword into her shoulder twisting it.

"Ah!" Ruby gasped.

Neopolitan glared at her.

"Will you stop; I'm to help, please. He needs to see a doctor and so do you!" Ruby cried out; half in pain and half from worry.

Neopolitan pulled her sword out and her gaze soften as she nodded.

"Ok, let's get him to the hospital. I can carry him; it's ok my shoulder doesn't hurt that bad. Let's go so you guys can see a doctor," Ruby said, smiling through her pain.

Neopolitan put her thin sword back into her parasol and helped Ruby pick Roman off the ground. Ruby flinched at the extreme pain in her shoulder, which Neopolitan noticed giving her a look like she was sorry. Ruby just smiled carrying Roman like he was her bride as they walked out of the alley into the open street. She stopped looking at Neopolitan.

"You don't talk?" Ruby asked.

Neopolitan shook her head; making Ruby giggle.

"That's so cute!" she said excitedly.

Neopolitan's face turned red matching Ruby's hood.

"Let's hurry along. If you climb on my back, I can use my semblance to get us there faster. Don't worry I'm able to carry you both," Ruby mentioned proudly.

She climbed onto Ruby's back and Ruby sped off to get them the help they desperately needed.


	2. Much Needed Girl Time

**I work at night so I probably will be posting at odd hours. I promise to keep on going :)**

Ruby sat by Roman's bed along with Neo waiting for him to wake up. Neo was completely fine health wise but Roman had the pneumonia and it was almost life threatening. Neo frowned at the monitor on Roman as sometimes it began beeping too fast or too slow but Ruby continued to reassure her that everything was going to be ok. Ruby handed her scroll to Neo.

Neo typed furiously making Ruby think she might almost break it. Neo held it up for Ruby to see.

 _Why are you helping us? We have nothing to offer you in return._

Ruby frowned at her as she said, "Why would I need anything? I'm here to help you guys out. Consider me being friendly ok Neo? No one should be out on the streets sick or starving; you two simply needed help."

Neo smiled and began typing again.

 _I'm really sorry about your shoulder. I was scared and I thought you were just trying to get the upper hand._

"No," Ruby said she giggled, "All that stuff is in the past and I completely forgive you for anything. Everyone does things they need too in order to survive; whether it's good or bad so I'm not mad. I'm glad Cinder is gone; I bet it helps you guys relax too. I hope you two are glad to be free."

Neo nodded as her fingers danced across the screen.

 _I didn't know you'd be so understanding but the thing is I think you're the only one. Everyone shuns us and we haven't been able to make it easily; thank you Ruby._

Ruby nodded.

"Anything for my new friend," Ruby said grinning big.

Neo's face turned red again. She jumped up squeezing Ruby into one hell of a hug.

"You're very welcome!"

Neo typed again, but she took longer this time typing it out.

 _The last two years have been really hard; at first with Cinder gone we could relax and laugh a lot of it off but the sad thing was no one was going to accept us no matter what we had done trying to make things right. Roman is actually really nice and I am too, but all people can think about it was we did. I guess I'm not so surprised or that upset when people treated us like that. Roman took it a little harder._

 _We let go of luxury just to be treated like crap and he got really upset. We both tried looking for jobs but no one wants us. His cane malfunctioned a while back but he still carries the pieces hoping to fix it one day. I want him to smile again_

 _._

Ruby started tearing up to what Neo had told her. Neo waved her hands like crazy almost trying to apologize for making her want to cry. Neo watched Ruby's silver eyes dry up a little as she smiled at her. Neo gave her a small smile and looked back to Roman who was still out of it; she knew he wasn't going to wake up very soon.

"What are you guys going to do after this?" Ruby asked, which she pretty much already knew the answer.

Neo's little fingers went to work giving her an answer.

 _I have no idea. We have nowhere to go; I wish we did though._

Ruby sighed and looked at Roman. She figured they didn't have a home considering what state they were in when she found them. She scratched the back of head wincing at the pain in her shoulder. She just sig hed feeling bad because she had no idea what to do.

Neo kept looking at Ruby, well not at Ruby but her long black locks with bright red streaks through it. Ruby's hair curled up at the bottom giving her the look of almost being sweet and innocent but everyone knew she wasn't. Lots of people had regarded Ruby as an excellent fighter and she was quite well known. Roman and Neo had heard of lots of stories as they traveled around looking for food and shelter.

Neo grabbed some of Ruby's hair and began stroking it thinking how soft and shiny it was. Ruby turned her attention from Roman to Neo smiling at her.

"Yang, my sister helps me with my hair every week. I'm not very good with stuff like that but I love the long hair. Neo, would you like to run with me to my apartment and we can get some stuff and you can do my hair if you want," Ruby offered smiling cheerfully.

Neo just stared at her. She grabbed the scroll again and started typing.

 _You trust me with your hair and your apartment?!_

Ruby laughed, "of course I do. I have no reason to distrust you!"

Neo had tears in her eyes she hugged Ruby tightly. Ruby took her hand and led Neo outside so she could use her semblance without destroying the hospital. Ruby sped off with Neo on her back to her apartment to get her hair accessories for Neo to play with her hair. At least it would keep them from being anxious about Roman waking up, which looked like it wasn't going to be anytime soon.

Ruby and Neo arrived thirty minutes back at the hospital. Neo practically skipped into the hospital carrying Ruby's large cosmetic bag in hand wearing the biggest smile she had in weeks. Ruby opened Roman's door slowly making sure to make loud sounds; her gaze fell on him but he was still out of it. Ruby frowned only because she wanted to make sure he was ok and she didn't want to them without knowing so.

Ruby pulled out her scroll and messaged Yang letting her know a couple of friends were ill and she wanted to make sure they were ok. Yang didn't reply like she thought she would but at least she messaged her anyways. Neo plucked the scroll out of her hands and began typing quickly; amazing Ruby how elegantly her fingers moved making them look like tiny dancers. Neo handed it back smiling.

 _Can I do whatever I want to your hair?_

"Yes of course but no cutting or dying please. Yang would get mad if I let you and I won't even let her."

Neo covered her mouth with her hand making her look like she was giggling.

"I hope he wakes up soon," Ruby said, giving sleeping Roman a sad look.

Neo tapped her shoulder making Ruby look at her. Neo nodded and gave her the thumbs up smiling happily. She led Ruby to one of the chairs and sat her down ready to give her a make- over. Neo grinned almost in a creepy insane way Ruby gave her a nervous smile.

After two hours of Neo standing curling Ruby's hair and spraying it to hold up she was almost done. Neo picked up one more long curled strand of hair ready to spray when they heard a loud groan. Neo looked over Ruby's shoulder to see Roman sitting up rubbing his face. Neo jumped up and down with the hair spray in her hair and began dancing as Roman stared with a loss for words.

Roman looked at the woman sitting in front of him. She was beautiful with long curled hair and a bright red rose on the top side of her head. Her skin was pale and her dark clothes made her look even more pale; she almost looked angelic. He met her eyes; surprise and shock hit him hard; Ruby Rose sat in front of him smiling at him in the sweetest way.

She wasn't little anymore, she was a beautiful young lady


	3. Waking up Rudely

Ruby smiled at Roman sweetly and looked back at the very happy Neo who quickly sprayed Ruby's hair a little more before tackling Roman into a big hug. Roman just sat there in shock; what the hell had happened? He was in the alley with Neo when she was signing that he needed a doctor and here he is; in a hospital with his old enemy smiling at him and Neo doing her hair. He scratched his head.

"Neo, what the fuck?" he asked.

She gave him an angry look and picked up her parasol, pointing at him angrily. Ruby looked at Neo in surprise but she was a little surprised to hear Roman's dirty mouth. Roman looked at Ruby again staring into her silver eyes.

"Why the hell are we here?" Roman demanded.

Neo whacked him on the top of his head.

"Damn Neo! Stop!"

Neo huffed and whacked his legs next.

"OK OK! NO CUSSING I'M SORRY!" he yelled rubbing his legs.

Ruby looked over at Neo covering her mouth trying not to laugh. Neo was massaging her temples like she had a headache.

"What has happened and why is Red here?" Roman asked sternly.

Neo sat on the end of Roman's bed and started making hand gestures; which confused Ruby because she couldn't tell what was going on. She watched Roman nod his head and he glanced over at her, making her heart skip a beat. Neo tapped him with her parasol and continued on signing away telling him more. Roman gave Neo a small smile and then smiled at Ruby.

"So…. You helped us out huh?"

"Yes… Neo stabbed me at first but it's ok. I really like her; she's a lot of fun," Ruby said, taking Neo's hand.

Roman raised an eyebrow, "So you two are best friends now huh?"

Neo stood up proudly and nodded. She signed again to Roman.

"She said you're going to have to sign language so you know what she's saying without typing or writing it. She doesn't really mind but she'd like you to learn just in case. She says she wants to hang out with you more often and she likes your hair; it is quite beautiful. She says thank you for everything," Roman said.

Neo nodded.

"Wait where are you gonna go?" Ruby asked standing up.

"Why do you care Red? Don't you have more important things to do?" he sneered.

"Because I do! You were sick and needed help and it very much is my business!" Ruby cried out.

Roman snorted. Neo whacked him on the head again; which earned her a pissed off look from him.

"We have to go home to our little shack," he said flatly and threw the covers off him.

Ruby covered her eyes as Neo threw the blanket back on. She smacked his arm and began signing again.

"I don't care if she saw it! I want to leave here and get back; where's my clothes?" Roman demanded, getting angry.

"I took them to get them clean. They should be ready and I got the message that your cane was ready too," Ruby said, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment.

Roman sat back in the bed staring at her. Neo poked him again with her parasol.

"What?" he spat.

Neo signed a little and Roman's cheeks turned pink.

"I won't do that."

Neo shook with anger. She jumped onto the bed, grabbing his hospital gown and shaking him furiously. Ruby jumped out of her chair patting Neo's back trying to calm her down; but inside Ruby really wanted to laugh. They were really funny together; almost like brother and sister.

"You two are really funny," Ruby said, chuckling.

Neo turned her head giving her a weird smile and let go of his gown. She signed a couple things and Roman shook his head.

"You can be friends all you want but I won't be friends with her. We are criminals and she's Remnant's little hero. She doesn't have time for us and this right here makes her look better to the media; it is a little stunt she's trying to pull. You can tell by how nice she's acting."

Ruby's jaw dropped open.

Neo became so angry she slapped him, making his head snap to the side.

"I wouldn't do that and I don't care what people think. I wanted to help people and it just turns out I like Neo; you're being mean," she said, tears falling down her face.

Roman looked shocked to see her eyes full of tears.

"You don't even know me," Ruby cried out.

Neo started crying silently, jumping to hug Ruby.

Roman sat there in shock; he had no idea what the hell had just happened. Neo went from distrusting everyone to taking Red's side like they had been friends for years. He put his hands up in surrender when Neo whipped out her sword pointing it at him in anger; making Ruby squeak like a mouse. Neo glared at him.

"Wow just wow."

"Give me twenty minutes and I'll have your stuff," Ruby said, making her way out of Roman's room.

She shut the door.

Neo turned to him and began signing.

 ** _How can you be like that towards her? She helped us out, old enemy or not, quit being ungrateful!_**

"I know but you're allowing yourself to get so attached over some petty deed she did."

 **** ** _It wasn't petty and you know it. Cinder wasn't even this nice and we are lucky that she likes us even at all. I even stabbed her shoulder and she forgave me; she really was worried about us. Can't you be more considerate about her feelings and mine?_**

Roman looked away from her.

Ruby stopped inside the weapon shop and got Roman's cane back. She looked at it; feeling almost excited. She remembered all the times they had encountered each other; including the first time. She smiled at the thought of when she whopped his henchmen.

It cost almost one thousand Lien to fix his cane and an extra five hundred for the added effects she had put in for him.

Ruby walked to the cleaners and got back his clothes; which cost another thousand for them being worn out and stained. She had to think of a way to get Neo's clothes done too because it wouldn't be fair to do his and not hers. She decided to walk back at a fast pace instead; enjoying the early night air. Ruby sighed as the hospital came into view; wondering if Roman was still mad.

Ruby entered Roman's room during their intense yelling (on Roman's part) and Neo's fast signing. She walked up to Roman and sat the stuff in his lap. His eyes widened at his cane; he picked it up looking at the new metal that was on it. He touched his hat and his white coat; he never thought he had seen them so clean before.

Roman looked up as Ruby began to leave; Neo shooting him a dirty look.

"Red, wait," he said.

Ruby stopped in her tracks turning to face him.

 _Damnit_ he thought, _she looks so pretty. It almost hurts to be mean to her. She looks so sad and Neo looks like she wants to kill me in my sleep. We hadn't needed help and yet she went out of her way to help us; even after the way Neo tried killing her teammate and me, well, being a criminal._

"How old are you Red?" Roman asked.

"I'm almost eighteen."

Neo raised an eyebrow at him.

"So you're almost done with school then."

Ruby nodded.

"Well, I've heard a lot of the things you've been doing. You've been cleaning Grimm out of the villages outside the kingdom."

Ruby nodded again.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" he asked.

"Well, I just finished a mission earlier today and I was eating when I saw you two. I don't have to go to school until Monday and I have an apartment I usually crash in when I can. The bounty office is closer to it than Beacon. I get called out frequently; I literally have two scrolls."

Roman raised an eyebrow.

"One for business and the other for pleasure?" he asked, teasing her.

Ruby's face turned pink.

"I-I-I have it for family and friends. I have no boyfriend," she said, covering her face.

Neo signed to Roman.

"Neo wants to know why not?"

"Oh um… No time I guess."

Neo signed again.

"Neo says you're so very pretty. She can't see why," Roman said.

Ruby's face matched her cloak.

"I haven't found anyone I like enough for me to give them any time. Missions are important."

Neo rolled her eyes.

Roman laughed.

"Anyways…. Where are you two going to stay?" Ruby asked changing the subject.

"The street," Roman said.

Neo nodded.

"What? No there's no way!" Ruby cried out.

Roman shrugged, "We are used to it Red. I'm going to get dressed now and then we can leave."

Ruby and Neo waited on Roman as he went into the bathroom and changed into his practically brand new clothes. He studied the clothes closely and saw they fit him just right; it wasn't stained and it didn't smell bad. Red had done something nice for him; she must've paid a pretty penny for the hospital bill, his clothes and his cane. His heart skipped a beat thinking about her eyes.

 _Damn woman. Damnit Neo!_

He walked out to see Neo hugging Ruby into a death grip. Roman held out his hand in confusion and Neo began signing so fast he could barely keep up with what she was telling him. Ruby looked at him smiling for her new friend and um… old kind of new acquaintance? Roman rolled his eyes.

They were going to stay with Ruby in her apartment.

The girls strolled down the street together with arms linked while Roman walked behind them watching Neo's happy face. He was very glad that she was happy but at what cost? This was temporary and Red wasn't going to able to let them stay forever supporting them. He nearly ran into Ruby because she had stopped in front of a large dark grey building.

"I live up there," Ruby said proudly.

They took the elevator up and came to a long hallway. All the doors were white except one; it was painted red and yellow with black trim. Neo ran to the door opening it with Ruby's key. She held out her arm to let them in.

Roman raised his eyebrows at the inside. It was quite elegant for a seventeen-year-old girl. The kitchen was white and black themed with tiles and it opened up to a dark red living room and there were three doors. One red, one white and one yellow.

"What's up with the yellow door?" Roman asked, in return received a dirty look from Neo.

"Oh, my sister Yang's room but she never wants to stay."

"Why not?" Roman asked.

Ruby shrugged.

Roman gave her a weird smile and looked at the giant TV.

After ten minutes of gawking at Ruby's furniture, she yawned and headed towards the red door.

"If you want Neo you can paint the yellow room to your liking. It only has a king sized bed and a dresser. We can go shopping after you paint it tomorrow. Roman I'm sorry but you can use the pull out couch. I'm really tired and I haven't slept in forty-five hours, so night," she said, yawning.

Ruby didn't even shut her room door. She laid down her weapon on the dresser and flopped onto the bed; falling asleep instantly. Neo smiled at Roman and ran to the yellow door almost kicking her boots into his face. Roman shook his head and pulled out the bed from the couch and looked at it.

"I guess it's going to be a long night."

He still couldn't believe she let them stay with her.


	4. Red

Ruby was out of it still when Roman and Neo had woken up. They peered into her room and she didn't even move a muscle; Neo had to check to make sure she was alive. Roman laughed; the girl slept like a rock. Neo signed at him not to be so loud because he'd wake her up but he just waved her away like it didn't matter.

Roman opened her fridge, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. She had a lot of food and it was unreal. He looked in the freezer and saw it was so packed she had taken things out of the boxes just to shove it in there. He looked over at the pantry door and opened it, even it was packed too.

"Man this girl has a lot of food; who's she trying to feed? An army?!" he whispered loudly to himself.

Neo tapped his shoulder.

She signed: **_She ate three pizzas yesterday when we took a break from her hair styling session. I only ate one but she ate three of them really fast. She says all the training she does she burns off so much energy and her semblance takes a lot too._**

"Explains a lot then. I guess since she let us here we can make whatever we want then?" he said looking at Neo for her approval.

Neo nodded smiling big; she was hungry too.

Roman started pulling out lunch meat and bread along with all the condiments. Neo's eyes got even bigger when he kept stacking up the food so tall it looked like a sandwich from Scooby Doo. She clapped happily as he started making Ruby a sandwich too; he was only doing it because she let them stay here. Neo skipped to Ruby's room and within a minute she was carrying the sleepy Ruby above her head and sat her at the table.

Ruby screamed with delight at the sandwich. She jumped up to Roman who was putting the stuff back into the fridge. His face turned pink; he could feel her breasts pressing on his back and it made him feel… strange. Neo always did the same thing but this felt a lot different than that. Neo was halfway through her food when she saw Roman's face as he tried to hide but Ruby paid no attention.

Neo signed: **_Why is your face pink for? Are you still sick?_**

Roman signed back: **_No I just thought of something that's all._**

Neo made a face then looked at Ruby. Neo suddenly understood what had happened and she made a kissy face and signed: **_You like her don't you? That's so cute! Ask her out!_** Roman gave Neo the finger and she laid her head on the table her body shaking like she was laughing. Ruby gave them both a weird look as she finished her sandwich off.

"What's so funny?" she asked oblivious to what had happened.

"Nothing Red just eat your food."

Neo fell off the chair holding her stomach her face turning red from laughing so hard.

"I wanna know what's so funny!" Ruby cried out.

"No Red, you don't."

Ruby gave him the saddest puppy face she could, which didn't really help stall Neo's laughing fit.

"Don't you two have to get things today?" Roman suggested making an annoyed face.

"Oh yea! Neo you can borrow some of my clothes until I get yours done! Let's get you something!" Ruby said, grabbing Neo to pull her into her room.

Roman ate his sandwich as he watched Ruby hand Neo literally twenty different dresses; making him smile at Neo's delighted face. Neo picked up the frilliest pink and black dress that Ruby had and slammed Ruby's bedroom shut. Roman smiled; Neo was his best friend, partner and like a sister to him. She never expressed an interest in him like that.

At least for a while he could have some peace while they went out and have fun. He missed his old apartment with all his stuff and he had to stay here in one full of girlie stuff. He sighed and put the plates in the sink waiting for Neo to exit the room; they were taking a really long time in there. What the hell could they be doing… then his face turned red at the fact they were going to be naked in front of each other in there.

 _What is wrong with me?_

His thoughts drifted to Red. She wasn't a skinny girl like she used to be; she was full figured but in a very sexy way. Even he thought she was prettier than her blonde sister and most people thought it was the other way around. He liked the red and black on her; he wouldn't mind in his last few moments of dying if she was the Grim Reaper coming to take his soul.

The red door creaked open and out stepped Neo. She wore her normal boots with the bright neon pink dress; it actually hurt his eyes a bit. The dress was covered in gorgeous black lace and Ruby had pulled Neo's pink and brown hair into a big black bow. Neo opened her umbrella and twirled around for Roman to see.

"You look very pretty Neo," he said smiling and Neo bowed.

Roman looked over at Ruby and she was dressed in a black summer dress that had red roses lining at the hem of her dress and Crescent Rose was attached her back as well. He gave Ruby a sheepish smile then saw Neo signing to him again making his face turn even redder. Roman turned his back on them to get a veggie juice out of Ruby's fridge trying to keep the dirty little thoughts away. Neo jabbed him in the back with her parasol.

"What?" Roman asked.

Neo pointed at Ruby and signed: **_Tell her she looks nice too! Don't be embarrassed; she's trying to be nice to you._**

"You look absolutely wonderful Red," Roman said, giving her a sincere smile making Ruby blush.

"T-t-t thank you," she said hiding her face.

Neo grabbed her hand and led Ruby out the door waving Roman. He tipped his hat at Neo as she smiled leaving the apartment. Finally, some peace away from them; their energy made him tired again. He went to her couch and sat on it turning on the TV but nothing of interest caught his eye as he flipped through the channels.

He leaned back staring at the ceiling. Why had Red simply trusted them in the first place and even after Neo hurt her too? Yea Red wanted to be a huntress and help people, but she just forked out a lot of money just for them alone and she barely knew them. She was way too nice for her own good… Red could get hurt being nice to the wrong people but weren't they the wrong people?

Perhaps so; Ironwood gave them a fair warning if they were caught organizing crime again, it would be rotting in prison for the rest of their lives. Roman looked at his cane, admiring the new design on it. Roses and vines were engraved on the red parts of it making it look like a model piece and not a weapon. He squinted and saw his name was engraved on black as well; it made him smile.

He was glad to have it fixed; using Neo's parasol was a pain in the ass considering he wasn't as fast as she was. Neo was almost like a monkey in a way; she moved in such a fluid motion it always fascinated him to no end. He always kind of thought she should've been a dancer; she would've made good money. Roman's thoughts turned to Ruby.

He had seen live feeds on some TVs throughout Vale of her fights. She moved so fast that they had slowed down the film for people to even watch it right. It just looked like a bunch of red and black blurs all over the place. Roman smiled; he remembered the way she used to fight, which was pretty good then but she was a deadly force and not to be taken lightly. She had surpassed Cinder in every way now.

Roman crinkled his nose at the thought of Cinder. He hated her; vile woman.

Roman had fallen asleep on the couch; he never heard the girls walk back in six hours later. Neo scared the crap out of him when she jumped on his lap startling him. He glared at her as she pulled out a new looking scroll. She handed it to him smiling and pulled out another.

Neo typed into the scroll and a sound came out then: Hello Roman, Ruby bought us a new scroll so we can keep in touch with her.

Roman raised his eyebrows at Ruby.

"Well it's hard for her to talk to others so I thought 'hey lets' get her a special upgrade since she can't talk and she can make more friends'. What do you think?" Ruby asked.

Roman grinned, "I think it's awesome. I never would have thought of something like that."

Ruby blushed.

Neo signed: **_Thank you, she's really trying._**

Suddenly Ruby's scroll went off; scaring everyone. She giggled and answered it. Her face fell from her smile to a frown; eyeing Roman and Neo nervously. She walked to her room and shut the door. Neo looked at Roman, giving him a worried look.

"It's probably another mission."

Neo frowned.

"Hey she's probably unhappy her fun time she's been having is being interrupted. I don't think you have to worry Neo," Roman said with reassuring smile.

Neo nodded.

Ruby stepped out of her room looking at her scroll with a worried look. She kicked off her boots and walked into the kitchen grabbing a half gallon of milk and began drinking it really fast. Roman gave Neo a weird worried look, but it was amusing that she could chug that much liquid without breathing. Neo patted Ruby's shoulder and typed into her scroll so Ruby could hear what she thought.

'What's wrong Ruby?'

Ruby frowned.

"My team is coming over and I'm worried about what they would think about you guys. I don't want a fight," Ruby said.

Neo tapped away on her scroll.

'We will sit on the couch until everything cools down. We don't want to alarm them.'

Roman rolled his eyes.

"This is why huntresses and criminals don't mix. You may be willing to accept us so easily but it doesn't mean they will. Your team probably warier about everything since the shit with Cinder went down. I can understand why."

Neo gave Ruby the saddest puppy face she'd ever seen.

"It's ok, just relax and hopefully everything will be ok."

Within ten minutes there was a knock at Ruby's door; making Ruby stiffen up as she opened the door. She slid out before allowing her teammates in and closed the door. Neo glanced at Roman as they heard loud yelling and banging. They heard Ruby's voice getting loud and then there was silence.

Ruby reentered the apartment holding the door open for her team. Yang walked in first bearing a grin. Neo looked a little shocked at how different she had looked from before. Yang was six foot and her hair reached the back of her knees in long curls. Her outfit was a brown dress with a gold flaming heart above her left breast and she had black and brown boots on and Ember Celica attached her arms.

Blake's hair was the same but her ears were out in the open instead of hidden making Roman raise his eyebrows. She wore a strapless black and purple top with black short with a little purple bow on both sides. She wore black legging and they faded up to purple and she wore black boots with Gambol Shroud on her black. She gave Roman a dirty look.

Weiss…. Well she was still as short as she was two years ago and her bust hadn't even grown any. She wore a more elegant white dress with the same style boots as she did before. She had let her hair down and it reached her bottom but it was straight as can be unlike Yang's hair. She had her hand on Myrtenaster, gripping it tightly eyeing Roman and Neo with uncertainty in her eyes.

"So, your Ruby's new boyfriend?" Yang asked.

Ruby and Roman's faces turned as red it looked like it matched her hood.

"What- no!" Ruby cried out holding her face.

Yang laughed.

Neo typed on her scroll.

'I think they like each other.'

Roman gave Neo a dirty look as she grinned at Yang. Yang laughed and looked at Weiss. She had a small smile on her face. Blake's face portrayed no emotion. Ruby got Neo out of her seat and had her stand in front of team. Neo began signing.

Weiss smiled.

"You can't talk. That's fine, I understand what you're saying."

Neo looked shocked but smiled at her.

"You know sign language Ice Queen?" Roman asked.

"Yes of course I do. I was taught by one of the maids who was deaf at my home. I became skilled at even curse words; so if you feel like being mouthy bring it on. I know a few other languages too so keep it up. I'm not the Ice Queen either," she said, shaking Neo's hand.

Yang grabbed Neo and squeezed her into a hug, almost crushing her. Neo actually squeaked making Roman laugh at the noise. Neo was mute but sometimes she could produce a small sound but it hurt to do so. Neo just smiled at everyone rubbing her arms.

Neo signed to Weiss: **_I can't speak due to injury to my vocal cords and if I do it really hurts. I make up for though; I'm actually smart and Roman knows this. He liked my uniqueness and we are great friends._**

Weiss nodded.

"Even criminals have feelings," Weiss said.

"Weiss," Ruby said annoyed.

"Well I'm surprised, ok?" she said crossing her arms.

Neo signed: **_Even as criminals we have our allegiances. Mine so happen is with Roman. I'm sorry we did what helped us survive this whole time and we are very sorry. We come in peace._**

"It's ok, you're forgiven," Yang and Weiss said in unison.

Neo looked at Blake. She typed onto her scroll.

'You still don't trust us do you?'

Blake raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't like the way you treated the Faunus in the White Fang back then. If you're done talking like that then yes, I forgive you."

Neo jabbed Roman with her parasol.

"Yes I'm done talking that way," he snapped.

Neo smacked him with her parasol for his attitude.

"I'm sorry, just don't hit me anymore. I feel like crap still and yes I've been taking the medicine Red got me."

The girls all laughed.

"Hey! Why don't we have a slumber party?!" Yang yelled.

Neo jumped up and down clapping like crazy.

Ruby looked at Roman. He didn't look so thrilled at the idea.

"We can, if Roman is ok with staying in my room," Ruby said.

All the girls looked at Ruby like she grew a third head. Ruby's face turned red as she saw the look on Roman's face. He looked mildly shocked and his face turned pink. He couldn't imagine sleeping in Red's bed; that was weird to say the least.

"My bed is that special foam, remember? Neo's bed is a mattress and we can take it off and bring it out here and use the pull out couch."

Yang smacked her fist into Ruby's end table; almost knocking off a lamp.

"Deal! Let's get our stuff from Beacon and we'll meet in an hour!"

Weiss, Blake and Yang left to get their things for the night. Neo dragged the mattress into the living room easily even though it was two times bigger than her. Ruby pulled ten pillows from her bathroom closet and six blankets. She looked at Roman's face.

"What?" she asked.

"Neo's never had a slumber party before."

"Aww, that's so sad!"

Roman shrugged.

"No one really liked her since she's completely mute."

Ruby frowned, "It's what makes her so cute!"

Roman busted out laughing.

"I like you Red."


	5. Slumber Party

As the girls set up the night Ruby kept hearing those words in her mind. _I like you Red._ She felt her face heat up thinking of it; even Neo noticed. She just gave Ruby the thumbs up and grinned as she flopped down onto her mattress.

They had fun throughout the night hitting each other with pillows, watching movies and eating popcorn and even ordered pizza. They ordered fifteen pizzas because they all were starving and they special ordered one to Roman's liking for him. Blake knocked on the red door and gave it to him with a smile. He gave her nervous smile back and thanked her as he closed the door.

Neo curled up in Yang's lap as they watched a horror movie together. By the end she clutching onto Yang's shirt showing everyone her white and red bra; the sight made Weiss blush. Blake and Ruby sat there drinking pop not even fazed by the movie. Weiss wished she had someone to cuddle up with.

Neo looked at Weiss and signed: **_You want to be my cuddle buddy?_**

Weiss nodded and jumped onto Neo's mattress with her.

Yang laughed as she took Ruby's motorized recliner laying back; it was her favorite thing to sleep on in the whole apartment and she even wished that she could have it in place of the bunk bed back at Beacon. Ruby grabbed two pillows for herself and snuggled up against Blake making her giggle. They talked until three in the morning and finally everyone had drifted off.

Roman was not asleep; he was watching TV; nervous to sleep on Red's pillows. He picked up one after staring at for five minutes and he smelled it. It smelled absolutely intoxicating; it was strawberries mixed with roses. He began to wonder if that was what she washed her hair with.

He inhaled it deeply, falling in love with the smell. He hadn't smelled anything like it before and he honestly couldn't remember her smelling like that before. Roman put the pillow back and laid his head on it. Her room was very different than he had imagined.

Her room was more adult than he thought it would be. She did have a small plush doll on the shelf with some fairytale books, making him smile. Everyone had that one small part of them that was still a kid whether they liked it or not. Red wasn't afraid of it; she embraced it. Maybe that's why she was able to be so happy and give people second chances.

Suddenly the door creeped open and Ruby popped her head in to check up on him. Roman smiled at her in a sweet way making her smile back. He patted the bed inviting her to sit by him. She looked at her shyly.

"Are you comfortable?" Ruby asked.

"Yes very much so."

Roman met Ruby's silver eyes; her eyes looked so innocent.

"You're too nice Red."

Ruby smiled sheepishly.

"Everyone tells me that. I am who I am. Yang thinks I so nice it's like flirting but I really just like helping people. I've always wanted too and my mom told me to help as many as I could and I do that."

"Your mom huh?" Roman said.

"Yea…"

"Are you anything like her?" he asked.

Ruby grinned, "Yea, Dad tells me all the time I'm just like her. Sweet as sugar but with a mean streak when provoked."

"A mean streak? Never!" Roman teased.

Ruby blushed.

"I haven't reached that point yet but I think it's because of my fighting. Some people actually fear me."

"Fear or not, you're an excellent fighter. You've improved since I last saw you in person and I've heard of all the things you've done. Neo was kind of afraid of you since you gotten so much better and that's why she reacted the way she did. Be proud; it's hard to scare Neo," Roman said.

"I don't want to be feared."

Roman nodded, "Yea. You are definitely the opposite of Cinder. She wanted to be powerful and feared. I guess they're afraid you'll turn the same way."

Ruby shook her head.

"No, I couldn't do that."

"Can I do something?" Roman asked.

Ruby gave him a weird look.

"Um… I guess," she said quietly.

Roman reached over and grabbed some of her hair and lifted to his nose easily. He smelled it; it in fact smelled of strawberries and roses. He met Ruby's eyes with intensity; making her heart skip a few beats. Roman's heart pounded in his chest as he let go of her hair.

"Your hair smells like strawberries and roses," he whispered.

"Oh… thank you…"

"Red?"

"Yes, Roman?"

They stared at each other.

"It's almost five in the morning; maybe you should get some sleep," Roman said.

"Oh! Well… Um… ok…"

Ruby got off her bed and headed for the door.

"Red," he said in a low tone.

She turned around.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. Not just for me, but for Neo too."

Ruby smiled.

"Your welcome. I'd like you both to stay as long as you want. It is nice to have people here; its less lonely."

Roman gave her crooked smile.

"I can give you all the company you want Red."

Her jaw dropped slightly open.

"I… um…."

Roman covered his mouth so he wouldn't laugh so loud.

"Go to bed. It looks like we'll be sleeping late," he said, waving to her.

"Night," she whispered and closed the door.

Ruby laid by Blake and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

The next morning Neo was dancing around the kitchen cooking breakfast for everyone. There were three plates of bacon, six plates of eggs, thirty hash browns, thirty biscuits and thirty sausage patties. Neo barged into Ruby's room waking up Roman by jumping on the bed to tackle him. Ruby still laid on the mattress passed out.

"Damnit Neo- No don't you –damnit woman! I'm sorry! No more of the hitting!" Roman yelled.

Yang, Blake and Weiss were laughing as they stuffed their faces.

Roman walked out in his black shirt and black pants yawning with Neo skipping behind him. Ruby still wasn't awake yet. Roman sat down looking at the way she slept; she looked so peaceful. Her hair lay all over her pillow, curling at the ends; damn she looked so pretty sleeping. Neo put a big plate of food in front of him, giving him a sly smile.

"Can it Neo," he grumbled.

Neo put her hands up showing she didn't mean anything by it but she did.

It reached noon and Yang finally woke Ruby up before they departed for Beacon. Ruby hugged everyone and they left. Neo had changed into one of Ruby's other dresses, but she had to tie a ribbon around under her bust so it would fit a little better since Ruby was a little bigger. Ruby smiled as Neo twirled around.

"Neo you're so cute! How old are you?" Ruby asked.

Neo held up one finger then she held up eight.

"Eighteen?' Ruby said and Neo nodded.

Neo pointed at Roman and held up two fingers then three.

"Oh twenty-three!"

Neo nodded again.

"What do you guys want to do today? I go back to class tomorrow by the way," Ruby said, looking through her book.

Neo tapped her chin thinking.

Roman rolled his eyes.

"Why don't we play some card games and watch TV all day?" he suggested.

Ruby jumped up and ran to her room retrieving her deck of cards.

"You seemed extremely excited," Roman said.

Neo nodded, giving them both an evil grin.

After several hours of card games ranging from go fish to poker; Roman had won twenty-one games, Neo seventeen and Ruby only ten. She rubbed her face in frustration glaring at them. Roman and Neo both laughed at her. Ruby sighed and put her head on the table.

Neo typed on her scroll; 'Sorry Ruby. We use to play a lot and we've gotten really good.'

Ruby smiled, "It's ok, I don't mind."

"I'm sure you do, that's why you look flustered."

Ruby gave him an agitated look.

"Well we said the winner gets what they want. What do you want?" Ruby asked.

Neo looked at Roman and then at Ruby. Roman tapped his chin thinking when an evil spread across his lips. His emerald eyes staring at Ruby with evil intentions. Neo started signing at him and he started signing back, leaving Ruby out of the conversation. At the end of it Neo put her head on the table; her face a little pink.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"On your next days off from school and missions, I want a shower with you. I'll allow you to wear a bikini if you and I can wear swim trunks."

Ruby's face heated up and her jaw dropped open.

"Wh-wh-what?!" she cried out.

"What? You chicken?" he asked.

Neo gave him an annoyed look.

"Really Roman?" Ruby asked, avoiding his eyes.

"Aw come on; you said anything!" he teased.

Neo shook her head and tapped on her scroll.

'That's mean Roman.'

"I don't care. I can have fun if I want," he said, smiling at Ruby who was still red in the face.

Neo got up to go pee eyeing Roman on the way until she shut the bathroom door.

"Well Red?" Roman asked.

"F-fine. It's a deal."

She held out her hand to shake his to seal the agreement, instead he took her hand and pressed his lips against her soft warm skin.

Neo jumped up and down.

Roman still had Ruby's hand as she skipped to the table.

Neo tapped away on her scroll.

'That's cute, but making her agree to a shower isn't.'

Roman laughed as he let go of Ruby's hand.

Ruby covered her face and went to her room to hide her embarrassment. Roman put his head on his hand staring at the red door smiling. Neo looked at him shaking her head and started signing to him again: **_Why don't you ask her out already? You know she probably hasn't even kissed a guy and you're making her jump into something she knows nothing about._**

"I know, but it's more fun this way. Some habits die hard," Roman said leaning back in his chair.


	6. Back to School

Ruby got up the next morning making sure she didn't wake Roman. She left them a note on the counter and left for school. She wanted to make it for breakfast and talk about the shower deal with Yang. She couldn't stop thinking about the way he smelled her hair and kissed her hand.

Ruby made it to school in ten minutes walking through the line getting a heaping plate of breakfast food and sat down by team JNPR. Nora was digging into a large stack of pancakes while Ren, Jaune and Pyrrha ate eggs, biscuits and bacon. Ruby finished half her food when her team came downstairs joining them. Ruby smiled at them with a mouth full of food, making Yang and Nora laugh.

Yang sat down with a tray filled with more food than Ruby had and started eating. Weiss had yogurt and an apple while Blake ate some bacon and toast. Just as Yang put the last bite in her mouth, Ruby grabbed her arm dragging her to hallway. Weiss and Blake just watched in confusion as their leader dragged her sister away.

"What's up Ruby? They last time you dragged me anywhere you asked me about your per- Yang started.

"NO! I mean I have a question. It's kind of embarrassing…"

"Oh my god! You had sex with Torchwick!" Yang hissed.

"NO! Please just listen ok?" Ruby begged.

After ten minutes of explaining, Yang tapped her chin looking at Ruby.

"Well, he likes you," Yang said.

"Really?"

"Yes. He smells your hair, flirts with you and kissed your hand, duhhhh."

"Well I don't know and you know this! I don't know… Neo seems to be on board for it but what do you think?" Ruby whispered.

"I think if he wanted to kill you he would've done it. Unless he's really crazy but I don't think so. I think if he tried Neo would knock him out."

Ruby laughed.

"Do you like him?" Yang asked.

"Yes…"

"Go for it then! If anything, get in the shower naked."

"What?!"

"He's excepting you to be shy and uneasy about it. Take it up a notch and show him you have bigger balls than he does," Yang said, patting her shoulder, "It's time for class let's go!"

 _Argh why can't Yang say something more normal than making it a seem so weird?!_

Neo went to the bathroom, pulling her undies down and sat down. She was wearing one of Ruby's long night shirts to borrow until Ruby took her shopping over the weekend. Neo was in the middle of peeing when Roman walked in on her; her face turning scarlet. She threw a bar of soap at him then the laundry basket in unspeakable fury.

"I'M SORRY NEO! I SWEAR! DAMNIT THAT REALLY HURT!" Roman yelled.

Neo ran out of the bathroom. She was huffing and puffing glaring at him. Roman cowered in fear; fear of parasol hitting his ribs. Neo stood up on the counter in front of him giving him the finger, pressing her hand against his nose.

"I said I was sorry! Please forgive me; I should've knocked first," he said bowing to her.

Neo tapped the side of her cheek and patted his shoulder, simply forgiving him. She saw a pretty pink piece of paper sitting on the counter with some crapping hand writing on it. She began reading it and then looked at Roman. Roman frowned as she made a pouty face; he snatched it from her to read it.

 _Dear Roman and Neo,_

 _I might not show up home until Wednesday so I can catch up on all my homework. It has nothing to do with the perverted shower that Roman wants; I just usually spend three days at school to finish up and be with my teammates. Maybe tomorrow we can get something at my favorite burger joint._

 _I also made you two a key to my apartment. In fact, stop at Beacon tomorrow around five and we'll go and I'll give you your keys._

 _Text me if you wanna talk!_

 _Love RR_

"Aw, poor Neo's new friend has to be at school all day," Roman teased but Neo really was upset she had tears in her eyes.

"No Neo! Don't cry! You know what, let's clean while she's gone and we can paint your room too. Didn't you and Red buy some furniture for your room too?" Roman asked.

Neo nodded wiping away tears. She jumped up grabbing her scroll and threw her arm around Roman and held up her phone. Roman rolled his eyes; he hated pictures but he guessed if it made Neo happy then he would do it. Neo snapped the picture and she sent it to Ruby putting 'We miss you' as the title.

Neo's phone beeped a minute later and there was an attachment on the inside. She opened it smiling big. Inside was a group selfie of team RWBY making funny faces. Roman chuckled at the picture and then next his phone buzzed from an unknown number.

Roman saw it was a text with an attachment as well, making him frown. Neo hopped over next to him as he opened it. Inside of it was a picture of Ruby in her uniform, paying attention to work before. Her hair was held back by a long red ribbon and her hair fell into a cascading fall of red and black curls.

Roman smiled.

Neo jumped back in surprise, signing so fast it was almost a blur.

"Hey hey, slow down! It's like your talking too fast and slurring your words," he said.

 ** _You like Ruby don't you?! I knew it!_**

"Hey I just think it's a good picture," he lied.

Neo raised an eyebrow putting her hands on her hips.

 ** _Mr. Torchwick, you are a terrible liar! Why don't you tell her?_**

"Because I'm a criminal and she's Vale's super hero. She would probably lose missions if we were together," Roman said, sighing.

Neo made a face; **_We gave up Cinder and the other two just to help Vale. You never told Ruby that have you? We might be criminals but we aren't killers and we didn't want Vale overrun with Grimm. Mercury and Emerald were blind to her ideas; we weren't._**

 ** _Ironwood called us his antiheroes, because we did care. Stealing Dust is one thing; destroying the world is another Roman. We did the right thing giving them up and watching Cinder's execution. We gave back the Dust and the peace of mind back to everyone._**

"Yea I know Neo, I remember it well but people won't forgive us. Red is the only one who thought past about the crap we did onto the good we did. Even criminals have their allegiances right? I couldn't live in a world without you Neo so I followed suit."

Neo smiled. **_You followed your own heart. We simply wanted to make a living not kill people. I was scared to death of harming Yang on that train all because of Cinder had video there. I was lucky demon woman showed up and stopped me. I don't think Ruby would've forgave me for harming her sister._**

Roman gave her a small smile. Neo was right; it was too make a living, not kill people. He did regret the Grimm invasion two years ago with the train.

"Neo, you wanna watch some TV?" Roman asked standing up.

She nodded happily and jumped on the couch.

"We'll clean around four ok?" Roman suggested and Neo nodded again.

Ruby laid on her top bunk staring at the sheet that hoovered over her. All her classes were done and she even caught up on her homework from the last three weeks. She turned her head to saw at the empty dorm room. They all promised to hang out with her, but they all left her to do other things.

"I miss Neo and Roman," she said aloud.

"Oh really?"

Ruby jumped to look Yang in the face. Yang gave her a big smile making Ruby blush. She tried hiding her face but it didn't work; Yang pulled her off her bed and onto the floor. Yang pulled Ruby to the bathroom to do her weekly hair treatment.

"I had no idea you liked him that much," Yang teased making Ruby's heat up like it was on fire.

"Be quiet Yang!" Ruby cried.

Yang leaned Ruby's hair into the sink and started to wet it.

"We aren't against you liking him Ruby," Yang said.

She looked at her sister in a weird way.

"What does that mean?" Ruby asked.

"When we came back Sunday, we had long talk about you and Roman. We all agreed it was ok with us if you really liked him. We could tell he was nervous about us being there but we could see the way he looked at you like you were the most beautiful thing in all of Remnant. He didn't even look at me and my boobs practically hang out," Yang said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Ruby just blinked.

"You look surprised Sis," Yang said.

"How do you know about stuff like that?!"

Yang laughed.

"I like bad boys too and there's one I've been talking too at least for two months," Yang said, grinning.

"WHAT?!"

"Hold still; let the conditioner sink in."

"Who?!" Ruby yelled.

"He goes by the nickname of Junior."

Ruby scratched her chin and shrugged.

Yang giggled as she pulled her scroll out to show her.

"What! He's like a crime boss isn't he?"

"Yup. He knows better than to interfere with my stuff but yes he is."

"Does Dad know?" Ruby whispered.

"Nope."

"Oh…"

"Ruby, you'd have better luck than me getting Dad to like your boyfriend. Roman is an ex criminal."

Ruby nodded.

Neo stood in the middle of her room with her arms crossed holding the leaking paint brush in her hand. She looked quite proud of herself; her walls were pink and brown and had random ice cream cones drawn onto the walls. She smiled at Roman as he finished the last cone by her headboard. Roman put down his paint brush and smiled at Neo.

"When it dries I can add the color in for you," Roman said.

Neo pulled her scroll out and took pictures, snapping one of Roman too. She took a selfie and sent all the pictures to Ruby. She opened the window and set a fan in the doorway of her room. Roman stepped over the fan and started stripping off his paint covered shirt; He said something smart and Neo threw paint on him.

Roman pulled out a pop and handed it to Neo and then got one for himself. He looked at Neo messaging on her phone like crazy. He cocked an eyebrow as she was sending one hell of a large message to whoever she was talking too. Neo smiled and lifted the scroll for him to see.

Yang took a picture of Ruby sitting on the toilet looking at her scroll with some weird white stuff covering her hair. Roman smiled; it was the first time he saw Red in pjs and she looked really cute. She had a red tank top on and long black sleep bottoms with little yellow stars on them. It made her look a little younger.

Neo pulled the scroll back as it beeped.

Roman saw the words _He does like her_ before Neo pulled the phone back.

"Little Miss Ice Cream, are you talking about me?" Roman demanded.

Neo ran to the bathroom locking the door behind her.

He frowned. His scroll went off and it was from Neo.

 _She likes you too :)_


	7. Pricey Mission

Ruby laid her head on her desk when Professor Port gave them a ten-page essay due next Wednesday; which meant for Ruby she needed it done by Monday to get it to Yang and have it turned in. Tuesday she was going to head out for a six-day mission alone and she hated long essays. She looked at her scroll and saw it was 4:05PM and she had better move. Neo and Roman were supposed to be there at five to go with her to an early dinner.

Ruby ran to her dorm leaving her teammates behind; she pushed open the door and was immediately tackled by Neo. Roman laughed as they fell to the ground in a tight embrace. He helped them both giving Ruby a wicked grin. Neo danced around the two of them.

"Man Red, I'm loving the school girl look," he said; watching her face turn scarlet.

"Every girl has to wear them," she said looking at the floor.

"Ah, well you look better than the rest of them then."

Ruby had to hide her face in her hands; he sure loved teasing them.

"Well we better move right? Neo is hungry; she's been waiting all day to eat with you,"

Ruby looked up to Neo's cute smiling face and nodded.

"Um let me change my clothes first," Ruby said.

Ruby pulled a pair of black jeans and a white top with black polka dots and headed to the bathroom. She didn't shut the door all the way and Roman's eye caught her pulling off her school coat and then unbutton her shirt. Yang came in seeing Roman looking at the bathroom; she knew Ruby was in there. Before Roman could stop her Yang threw open the door, showing off Ruby in just her undies.

"YAAAANNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!" Ruby screamed covering her breasts from everyone.

Yang shut the door laughing.

"Man she is gonna kill me later. It was worth it," Yang said.

She looked at Roman's pink face.

Yang leaned in and whispered, "Did you like the view lover boy? I'm sure this weekend you'll get more if you're nice to her."

Roman's eyes widened at her words, making her giggle like the school girl she was. She hugged Neo and left the dorm room running as fast as possible. Ruby opened the door slowly looking for Yang; possibly to kill her for what she had done. Neo pointed at the door letting Ruby know she already left.

Ruby looked at Roman.

"Well I guess it's fair since I saw your manly parts at the hospital," she said trying to act like she didn't care and it worked because Roman's face colored red.

Neo grinned linking arms with Ruby and they left the room.

The showed up to the same place Ruby had eaten days ago when she discovered them in the alley. They sat down and ordered their food sipping on their milkshakes. Neo loved hers; it was Neapolitan milkshake with a large amount of whip cream on top. She eyed so evilly it looked like she wanted to kill it.

Ruby looked at Roman. He had beautiful green eyes and long eyelashes. She loved the way he dressed; it wasn't over done like he was trying too hard and he looked good. Ruby put the straw back in her mouth looking at him.

"Red, do I have something on my face?" Roman asked.

"Huh, no! I was off thinking about something I'm sorry."

"So you stare off at me thinking?" he asked, grinning evilly.

"Shut up!" she cried covering her face.

Neo smiled and nudged Roman with her elbow giving him the look that said _I told you so._

"So Red, what were you thinking about?"

"Oh um… my ten-page essay due next week."

Neo frowned.

"Really that's a lot," Roman said.

"I know and I have a six-day mission next week."

Neo puckered out her bottom lip.

"I'm sorry guys. I can't let go of a six-day mission. I tried getting Yang, Blake and Weiss to go but they refused."

Neo jumped up. She began signing: **_We can go with you and help!_**

"Neo really?" he said annoyed.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"She wants to go with you."

Ruby perked right up.

"Really? Oh my god I would love that! You have no idea how bored I am alone and I mean basically you guys would be really helpful! We should go train in the Forever Forest together so we can get a handle on how we each battle! I can share the money with you! It's a thirty-thousand Lien job anyways," Ruby said excitedly.

Neo nearly dropped her milkshake.

"Ten thousand Lien a piece?" Roman said shocked.

"Yup Atlas provided the job. I'm already a millionaire, so it's not a big deal," Ruby said.

The waitress sat their food in front of them and Neo began digging in.

"Red I never heard of you raking in money," Roman whispered.

Ruby shrugged.

"It's because I don't flaunt it. I helped out my friends first; but they still don't want to interrupt their studies to go with me."

Neo gave Ruby a sad look.

"Well I guess it's better than mooching off of you," Roman said,

"I don't consider you guys mooching off me."

Neo blew Ruby a kiss and they all laughed.

Ruby handed them their keys and turned to leave but Roman grabbed her arm. She turned to look at him at Neo crept into the apartment leaving them alone. She looked into his eyes and she could feel her heartbeat speed up. What was wrong with her?

"Red, thank you."

"Oh your very welcome."

Roman put his hand on her face stroking her cheek, making her heart thump so hard it would beat right out her chest. He lowered his lips to her; she could feel his breath on her.

"I'll see you later Red," he whispered and let go of her.

She felt her heart almost stopped.

"Why?" she whispered.

"Why what?" he asked.

"Why are you teasing me Roman?" she asked quietly.

"What-ever do you mean?" he asked grinning.

Ruby sighed and started walking away again.

Roman tilted his head watching her hips sway as she walked away. She stepped into the elevator.

"You'll pay in the shower Friday night Roman," she said, giving him a wicked smile making him laugh.

He walked into the apartment and was met with a whack to the legs with Neo's parasol. All he heard was Neo's scroll voice 'You're an asshole. Ruby just messaged me!'

Ruby climbed into her bunk really bummed out. She wanted that kiss so bad and he was just teasing her. She hadn't told Yang yet because she was frustrated beyond belief. She saw Weiss staring at her with a puzzled look.

"Ruby are you ok?" Weiss asked.

Yang jumped to look at her.

"NO! He's just teasing me! He was so close to kiss me and he told me he'd see me later and the worse part I told him I'd make him pay in the shower! Yang having 'bigger balls' made me a hypocrite because I don't know how to do anything!" Ruby cried out.

Weiss and Blake looked at her in disbelief.

"What shower?" they asked in unison.

Yang shook her head.

"Make out with him and leave him hanging."

"What?" Ruby said.

Blake laughed, as Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Really Ruby?" Weiss said.

"Yea!"

Weiss got up and pulled Ruby into an embrace like they were lovers and she proceeded to show Ruby exactly was making out was. Yang's eyes widened up and Blake actually looked jealous. Weiss let go and pulled away smiling. Yang looked at Ruby then at Weiss and only Yang looked embarrassed.

"Wow how'd you learn that?" Yang asked.

Weiss smiled and looked at Blake.

"My girlfriend Blake."

Yang looked at Blake.

"What?! When were we going to find out about this?!"

Blake and Weiss giggled.

"It was the night of the slumber party on your balcony," Blake said holding Weiss's hand.

Yang laughed.

"I'm glad for you two," Ruby said happily, recovering from Weiss's hot tongue kiss.

Her team got ready for bed; with Blake and Weiss sharing the same bed. Yang smiled at Ruby and then rolled over to go asleep. Ruby laid there thinking about Roman and their almost kiss. He was being difficult for some reason and she couldn't figure it out. Maybe she could just ask Neo in the morning during breakfast.

 _Roman looked around Red's room lost to why he was in there in the first place. He looked on the bed and here she was laying there in a black corset and a red thong; but she was asleep. He reached over touching her arm, but she continued to sleep anyways. He couldn't believe she was half naked in front of him so willingly._

 _He touched the corset and it was made of leather making her look even sexier laying there. He reached her thighs, which were bigger than he thought but she looked so sexy she didn't look like she was seventeen anymore. Her eyes flew open staring at him. She smiled sleepily._

 _"_ _Baby you haven't had enough yet?" she asked with silky voice._

 _"_ _What do you mean Red?" he asked._

 _"_ _You've been making love to me half the night; you wore me out. Come lay beside me and I'll love on you before I go to school ok?" she said, smiling at him._

 _"_ _All night?" he asked._

 _Red giggled._

 _"_ _Yea, Neo left to stay with Yang because we were too loud."_

 _Roman laid beside her._

 _She tilted her head smiling at him._

 _Red reached over grabbing his face, kissing him, sweeping her tongue across his. She moaned lightly turning him on instantly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She giggled as she touched the crotch of his pants stroking him; she started unbuttoning his pants-_

Roman woke up suddenly to his scroll going off. Damn his alarm. He looked down and groaned; he needed a cold shower fast. He got up and opened the bathroom door and Neo was standing there in her panties brushing her teeth. Before she could protest he picked her up and threw her on the pull out couch and locked the bathroom door.

Neo glared at the bathroom door and continued brushing her teeth. She rinsed her brush off at the kitchen sink. She sat at the table waiting on him to come out. She picked her parasol off the counter to assault his stupid ass for walking in on her again.

Neo frowned as she heard him groaned angrily. He came out covering his crotch making her laugh when she realized what happened. She signed to him: **_Thinking about Ruby huh?_** He glared at her as he went into Ruby's room slamming the door.

Neo smiled evilly as she messaged Ruby what had just happened.

Ruby sat at the table when her scroll went off. She opened the message and her eyes widened as she had to reread it three times to make sure she read it right. Yang pulled it out of her hand reading it and busted out laughing uncontrollably. Ruby's face turned red.

 _Neo sent: Roman has a boner because he was thinking of you and he can't get rid of it lol_

The message made her smile; it was almost revenge for what he had done last night to her.

 _Thanks for telling me; that's what he gets for being a tease!_

Neo laughed silently at the message. Roman had changed clothes, glaring at her.

"What's so damn funny?" he demanded.

Neo held up the scroll as he yelled with rage. She jumped on top of the counter with her parasol pointed at him.

"Why'd you do that?!" Roman growled.

Neo typed out: _Because you kicked me out of the bathroom and you teased Ruby._

"Neo you're really a bitch sometimes," he groaned.

Neo signed: **_Thank you but it takes one to know one._**

Roman gave her the finger.


	8. The Shower

Friday came faster Ruby excepted it too and she already felt so embarrassed she wanted to faint from it. Yang had tried talking to her about it but it just made it worse. As Yang put it, she wasn't losing her virginity, it was a simple shower. It didn't make Ruby feel any better about the whole thing.

Ruby laid face down on her bed listening to Yang go on and on about how this stuff was normal but she just didn't help her. Weiss sat cross legged on the bottom bunk rolling and snorting at Yang's attempt to make things better. Blake wasn't even paying attention as she was reading one of books. Finally, Weiss held up her hand in Yang's face.

"Yang and Blake please leave. I'll talk to Ruby myself."

"Hey I was doing just fine!" Yang cried.

"No, because Ruby looks helpless instead of confident. I got this," Weiss stated putting her hands on her hips.

Yang stuck her tongue out and left the room; Blake gave her a kiss and headed out behind her partner.

"Ruby," she said.

"Weiss, I'm good I don't wanna hear anymore."

Weiss giggled and climbed to the top bunk to sit by Ruby patting her back.

"Ruby, look at me."

Ruby turned over to look at her partner.

"I know I'm not always the best person to talk to bout this but you're stressing way too much over something so simple. Yang's advice is kind of good but mine with help hand in hand with it. We can all tell Roman likes you and we all accept that. The question is how does he make you feel?" Weiss asked.

"Well I get excited being around him. My heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest," she said turning pink in the cheeks.

"Good, that's how you're supposed to feel. What do you like about him?"

"Well… I love his sarcasm. The love the way he's so brotherly towards Neo and he speaks highly of her. I like how he doesn't let simple things bother him and he's really smart. I like the cute remarks he gives me and the teasing is ok, but I feel like I'm chasing more than anything," Ruby said, playing with her bed sheet.

"Well as Yang said, take the next step up."

"Which is?" Ruby asked.

"He obviously has a physical attraction for you but you don't want it to be all about that right? He's excepting you to chicken out because he knows you're shy as can be. The point is for him to fall for you and hard. Give him loving but in a sweet way; don't throw yourself at him.

"Roman is cocky and he's smart; I mean he stole all that Dust. He's playing with your head but don't let him. Turn the tables and show him you want him but only if he seriously wants you. I'm sure Neo has told him to stop being an ass and ask you out. You just have to take this situation easily; it's not a mission ok?" Weiss said, smiling at Ruby as she patted her hand.

"Wow that was a lot more helpful!"

Weiss smiled.

"So should I go in naked?" Ruby asked.

Weiss laughed, "Sure and you'll have the upper hand just don't give him everything in one shot."

"I won't," Ruby said, grinning.

"Ok, I do believe you promised Neo you'd take her shopping."

Ruby jumped off the bed and ran out of the dorm room. Blake poked her head back in smiling at Weiss.

"The talk went well?" Blake asked.

"Very. I just can't believe how much detail she went into talking about him. Who knew Ruby would like bad boys?" she giggled.

"Well that's what Yang likes; must run in the family."

Blake planted a kiss on her girlfriend's lips and sat beside her.

"She better message me and let me know how it goes," Weiss said, flipping through her messages.

"Message her Saturday and ask."

Weiss nodded.

Neo rolled up a pair of Ruby's old jeans so she could actually wear them out and she pulled on one of her tube tops. She brushed her hair and put her hair pigtails, which made her look like a little girl. She smiled in the mirror and walked out of her room. Roman started laughing as he saw his best friend.

Neo signed: **_What's so funny?_**

"You look like a little kid and Red is gonna look like your mommy!"

Neo glared at him as she reached over to the stand to get her parasol.

"Hell no Neo! You can't hit me every time you get angry at me!" Roman yelled hiding under a blanket.

Neo waved her hand and jumped on him anyways. He threw the blanket over her and took her weapon away. She kicked hard trying to get out of the blanket but it didn't work; he tied her inside. Roman began laughing so hard as he held his sides because she couldn't get out.

Out of nowhere Ruby tackled him with a pillow knocking him onto the couch. He just stopped laughing and looked at her in surprise; where the hell did she come from?! Ruby untied the blanket and Neo sprung out tackling Ruby. Ruby threw her arms up in surrender as Neo realized it wasn't Roman she tackled.

"Neo!" Ruby cried out.

Neo hugged her tightly as Roman got off the couch.

"Man Red you're very sneaky; no wonder you foiled our plans all the time," Roman said.

Ruby smiled proudly and nodded.

"So Neo you ready for clothes shopping?" she asked excitedly.

Neo nodded and skipped to the door.

"Hey now Red; are you forgetting something?" he asked.

Ruby smiled confidently at him.

"No I didn't. Don't worry; you'll get your play time later Roman," she said in sexy tone.

He felt his face heat up as she left out of the apartment.

In reality he was actually really nervous. He had really hoped she'd chicken out; the words had just flown out of his mouth that night before he could even stop himself. He didn't know what she was expecting from him and how far she'd really wanted to go. He collapsed onto couch letting out a sigh.

"Damnit."

Ruby and Neo hit every store within a ten-mile radius for some clothes for Neo. Neo was getting frustrated when the first four stores had nothing small enough for her but they continued on and finally the last store had things for really short women. Luckily they had a lot and Neo practically got one of everything before they returned home with almost twenty bags.

Roman looked up from his show to see the two girls struggling to get inside the apartment. Ruby's face was filled frustration and Neo looked like was ready to throw everything. He couldn't help but laugh at their struggle. They had no idea that he was even watching, embarrassing both of them.

"Geez Red, didn't you think that you could bring a couple at one time?" he asked.

"We wanted to make it in one trip thank you," Ruby stated.

"I guess all that milk you drink don't help as well as you thought."

Ruby stuck her tongue out.

"I does too; I haven't broken anything yet!"

It took thirty minutes for Neo to show Roman all her new outfits and she even modeled a couple of them too. Ruby clapped whenever she did and Roman whistled at her; she walked around the living room like she was a model on the catwalk. She skipped back to her room happily to get more clothes leaving Ruby and Roman alone.

"So Red; you excited to play later?"

Ruby nodded.

"You don't seem excited."

Ruby grinned.

"According to Neo you were earlier this week."

Roman felt the color rise to his face, "Damnit Neo."

Ruby laughed.

Roman touched Ruby's hand lightly and she met his gaze; like always it was intense but she couldn't tell what he wanted.

"Red…"

"Yes?"

"Did you finish your essay?" he whispered.

Ruby jerked her hand back and slapped his arm. She stormed off to her room and slammed the door shut.

Neo poked her head out and looked straight at Roman.

"What?" he asked acting innocent.

Neo signed: **_One day she's going to knock your lights out and I hope I'm there to see it. I will enjoy every minute of it. Maybe she'll shove her scythe up your ass._**

"Language Neo!" he gasped pretending to be offended.

It was about nine and Neo was already passed out in her new pink striped pajamas, making Roman smile as he checked up on her. He was glad she had been sleeping so well since they moved in with Red. Neo couldn't sleep out in the wilderness or the streets like Roman could. Neo had a home until her parents had died unlike Roman who out there fending for himself.

He walked over to the couch and pulled the bed out.

"Oh did you chicken out?"

Roman looked up his jaw dropping open. Ruby was standing there completely naked.

"R-r-red. Where's your bikini?" he stuttered.

"It's a shower; I don't need clothes. Are you coming?" she asked in a sultry tone.

Ruby walked to the bathroom leaving the door cracked open for him to see her bending over to turn on the water. Damnit, he was going to have wear the shorts. He could barely hide the fact he wanted her so bad and here she was strutting around naked. He rubbed his face and pulled his clothes off and headed in there to join her.

Ruby was already in the shower getting her hair wet. He had left his boxers on; he never planned on her being so bold. She finally beat him to his own game. He pulled the curtain back, sighing trying to repress any dirty thoughts he had of her.

"Are you ok?" she asked looking at him with an innocent face.

"Red… you're good… You really are."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't plan on being graced by your wonderful naked body," he murmured.

She cracked a mischievous smile.

"Thank you."

She turned back around soaking her long hair in the hot water.

"Can you hand me my shampoo please?" she asked.

"Yea," he said ripping his eyes off of her.

He tried handing it to her but she shook her head.

"What?"

"Can you wash it for me?" she asked.

He just stared at her.

"What?" he asked thinking he didn't hear right.

"Wash my hair for me. Sometimes it's hard for me to do it myself."

Roman took a deep breath and started washing her hair. She sighed happily as he began massaging her scalp; he was smiling because he actually enjoyed what he was doing. He looked at her hair; she really had a lot of it. She turned around and began rinsing the shampoo out.

He rubbed his face; he was struggling to control himself. She was naked in front of him and he could feel common sense leave his body. For an innocent girl she was one hell of a seductress. Ruby smiled at him as she handled him the conditioner.

Roman rubbed the strawberry liquid into her hair making her moan softly making him stiffened up more. _Damnit, I'm losing myself. I can't do this I can't I can't I can't._ She won this he couldn't do it anymore. He went to open the curtain when she grabbed his arm.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I… um…"

"Roman I have to wash you off remember?"

"What?"

"Come here; why are you suddenly being shy for?" Ruby asked smiling.

"I don't know," he said, hiding his shame.

Ruby brushed her breasts across his chest making his heart thump loud. She grabbed the body wash; squirted some in her hand and started rubbing her hands together making bubbles. Roman closed his eyes as she started rubbing her hands all over his chest and arms. Even though they weren't really a couple this was really intimate and he really loved it.

Ruby crouched down and started washing off his legs off which was ok until she started going up. Roman held his breath as her fingers crept up slowly to his manhood; his heart was pounding so hard he was surprised she couldn't hear it. _My god what can I think of?! Um… Ice Queen and her snotty attitude is enough to kill any man's boner. Her and her whiny ass voice always complaining about everything…_

Magically it worked up until Ruby pulled down his boxers and caressed his manhood in her hands washing it. He moaned slightly making her smile. She looked up at his face; he had his eyes closed but he sure was enjoying himself. She let go and ran her hands up to his butt cheeks; rubbing them roughly then up his back. Ruby grabbed her strawberry body wash and held it out to him.

"Here Roman. Your turn."

Roman opened his eyes to see her staring at him in a look he had never seen on her face before. He was actually shaking a little pouring the liquid soap into his hand and he began lathering it up to wash her off. Ruby turned her back to him and he slowly washed her back and made his way down cupping her ass cheeks gently.

He couldn't see it but she was smiling in victory. Ruby knew Roman was having a hard time controlling himself. He crouched down washing off her legs slowly; eyeing her thick thighs. Roman stood back up as Ruby turned around facing him.

"You aren't done," she whispered loud enough for him to hear.

He swallowed hard. Roman washed off her chest slowly slightly squeezing each breast before going for her stomach. He washed it off as fast as possible because all control was almost diminished. He sighed as it was over or so he thought.

"You forgot between my legs Roman."

That was it, he was done. He dropped to his knees putting his head against her stomach in surrender.

"You won Red. You win, I can't do this."

Ruby patted his head smiling.

"Roman it was never about winning. I really just wanted a kiss; you're the one that decided to put yourself through torture."

"Christ Red…. If that's all you wanted, you should've just asked. I can handle a kiss better than… than… _that!"_

Roman stood up and backed Ruby against the shower wall. Her eyes stared intensely into his and she decided it was her turn. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her wet lips against his. He pulled her closer, pressing their naked bodies together.

Ruby could feel him hard pressed against her stomach; almost aching for her. She pulled her head away.

"I'm not at all ready and I'm sorry for that, but would you like to sleep next to me tonight?" she asked breathlessly.

"Yes Red I'd love that."

They dried off and put on their night clothes. Ruby crawled onto the bed first and patted the pillows beside of her. Roman smiled and got in under the covers next to her. He turned to face her, seeing her super happy face.

"Why are you so happy?" he asked.

"Because, I get to sleep beside you," Ruby whispered.

"Ruby Rose, I think I fell in love with you."


	9. Trying to Train

Ruby woke up to see Roman was still facing her asleep like when they fell asleep together last night. She smiled to herself as she brushed his orange hair out of his face. He opened his eyes to see beautiful silver ones staring at him. Roman leaned in giving her a long passionate kiss.

"Morning Red."

"Morning; how'd you sleep?" Ruby asked.

He stroked her cheek gently.

"Great. Besides the torturous shower we had, but I'm still alive though."

Ruby giggled.

"Red if you were a man you'd know what I was talking about but I did deserve so I forgive you," he said, stretching.

Suddenly Neo busted through her bedroom door with her parasol in hand with a frighten look. Her multi-colored eyes landed on Roman with a murderous look.

"Neo! I swear to everything all we did was shower and sleep beside each other!" Roman cried out hiding under the blanket. Ruby nodded to defend him.

Neo gave them an unsure look but accepted their answer anyways. She started signing to Roman.

"You wanna jump on a train?" Ruby asked.

Neo jumped excitedly on Ruby's bed.

"Man Red you were close. She wants to get a jump on training."

Ruby smiled big.

Neo signed again.

"You made breakfast?" she asked.

Neo nodded and jerked Ruby out of bed. Roman laughed as the two girls walked out to the kitchen.

"Oh my god! Look at all the food!" Ruby screamed out in delighted surprise.

Roman stretched again and climbed out of bed to the bathroom. Ruby was shoveling food into her mouth when she saw Roman walking out with morning wood. Her face turned pink and some of her food fell out of her gaping mouth. Roman gave her an arrogant smile blowing her a kiss. Neo saw him and threw the biggest pan she could.

Rub snorted and starting coughing from her mouth full of food trying not to laugh. Neo patted her back glaring at Roman as he went into the bathroom.

Neo ended up making more food because they had eaten most of it before Roman had even got out of the bathroom. Roman had begun eating while Neo got dressed but Ruby continued to sit there with him. He raised an eyebrow at her while she sat there by him. She smiled at him sweetly as he drank some orange juice.

"Red, shouldn't you start getting ready?" he asked, putting more bacon into his mouth.

"Roman, will you be my boyfriend?" Ruby asked.

Roman started choking on his bacon as Ruby patted his back.

"My god Red! Why ask me that when I have a mouth full of food?!" he said coughing.

"I'm sorry!" she cried out stifling her laugh.

Roman looked at her studying her face; she was good at portraying no emotion.

"Well?" she asked.

Roman leaned in and kissed her lips leaving her breathless.

"Yes Ruby, I would love that more than anything."

Neo came out of nowhere hugging them both.

Neo signed: **_It's about time! Watching you two was painful! Now go get ready so we can have some fun!_**

The three of them showed up to Forever Fall Forest in a matter of an hour. Neo was swinging her parasol anxious to begin. Ruby carried her Crescent Rose open on her shoulder making Roman feel a little uneasy; considering he got his ass beat numerous times by that weapon alone. They stopped in a clearing that had several fallen trees.

"What happened here?" Roman wondered aloud.

"Me," Ruby said.

Neo looked at her with a gleam in her eye.

"I train here often and sometimes I come across Grimm. It's not a big deal."

Roman's face lost some color.

"You and Neo wanna go first?" Roman asked trying to sound confident.

Neo did a fist pump into the air and ran into the middle of the clearing. Ruby followed her with the same amount of excitement. Neo held one arm behind her back and the other held her parasol and Ruby did the same. (to Roman's surprise how could she hold that large scythe with one hand?) They tapped weapons and suddenly they both disappeared into thin air.

Roman stood back up looking around when he felt a blast of air fly by him; he barely could tell but it was Ruby. Neo jumped out of the trees banging her parasol on Crescent Rose and fired a round at Ruby but she moved her face out of the way. Neo kicked Ruby's side but before Neo could get another hit in, Ruby fired a sniper round thrusting her forward out of harm's way. Neo parried all of Ruby's attacks with ease.

Roman sat there as he watched pink and white flashes go against red and black ones. Neo cast an illusion and Ruby fell for it. Neo jumped out of the trees again firing ten rounds at her; Ruby deflected all of them before she disappeared into thin air. Neo jumped to the side as Ruby's scythe hit the ground cracking it.

Roman watched as they continued for thirty minutes like this; neither one of them surrendering. Their battle was brought to a halt as they heard howling of Beowolves and loud hissing. Neo grabbed Roman and pulled him close to her. Ruby grinned at her boyfriend.

"This is what I'm excited for," she said.

"How can you be excited?" he asked.

"Because I don't have to worry about holding back. Can you stand your ground?" Ruby asked.

Neo snorted silently.

"Hey now! It might have been awhile but I think I got this," he said after seeing Neo's face.

Neo rolled her eyes.

A King Taijitu showed up out of the giant trees hissing loudly. Ruby and Neo grinned at each other and disappeared leaving Roman alone. He sighed nervously; he was better with having henchmen doing his dirty work not him. He lifted his cane and started shooting at the giant Grimm trying to help.

A Beowolf showed up behind Roman and knocked him to his feet. Before he had time to react, a sniper round blew over him into the Beowolf's skull killing it instantly. He looked over to see Neo firing off rounds and attacking with her thin toothpick of a sword. Red had managed to take off the black head when the white one emerged and started attacking.

Ruby and Neo did the finishing blow to the large Grimm, standing on top of the body. They heard loud gunshots and loud cries of victory. Ruby smiled recognizing the voice; it was Yang's. Suddenly half the trees surrounding the clearing turn to ice and a giant blue suit of armor walked into the clearing with Blake and Weiss on its shoulders.

"TEAM RWBY!" Ruby screamed.

Yang fell out of the sky landing hard enough on the ground to crack it some more. Her hair was tangled and wild looking but her clothes were perfectly clean. She hugged Ruby and Neo tightly making Ruby squeak. Weiss patted her Giant Knight and it disappeared into thin air.

"What are you guys doing here?" Weiss asked, holding Blake's hand.

"We are training!" Ruby said fired up from her battle.

Yang looked at Roman's pale face.

"Why do you look like your gonna piss yourself?" Yang asked.

Weiss eyed him funny.

"Aren't you use to fighting Grimm?" Weiss asked as Blake was trying not to laugh at him.

Neo shook her head and in return Roman pushed her.

"You forget I was a criminal mastermind. At one point in time I had a bunch of…. (he looked at Blake) henchmen helping me so I never really have to do any fighting unless you guys came along pestering me. (he looked at Ruby who was smiling). So this is the first time in a while I had to fight. Neo is better than me and I can see Red is rather excited about that."

Ruby nodded as Neo gave a victory dance.

"So you can barely fight Grimm but you're going on a mission with Ruby?" Weiss asked, her hand on her hip arching an eyebrow.

Roman looked at Ruby.

"You never said I had to fight Grimm."

Ruby frowned, "Roman it is a mission from Atlas; of course it is a dangerous mission. I don't take easy missions unless someone really really needs help."

Neo jumped into Weiss's arms and hugged her tightly.

Roman rubbed his hands on his face.

"Shit…"

"Roman it'll be ok! You'll get better along the way," Ruby said giving him a reassuring touch on the arm, "I have no problem protecting my boyfriend."

All the girls squealed.

"Really?!" they all cried.

Ruby nodded blushing. Yang elbowed her side grinning.

"We didn't have sex ok!" Ruby whispered.

Roman looked at her then at Yang.

"I did, but I respect Red's decision to wait. I love her enough to wait."

Ruby smiled sweetly at his words as she took his hand.

Ruby leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "I love you Roman."

His cheeks turned a deep shade of pink.

"I love you too."

They spent the next three hours training together allowing Roman to train against the smaller weaker Grimm to get a refreshment course. He managed to do a lot better than against the King Taijitu earlier. They exited the beautiful red forest and went to one of the more expensive restaurants to eat at on Weiss. Roman actually was enjoying himself even with all the girls.

"Man Ice Queen you are very nice," Roman said drinking his pop.

"Half way through my second year at Beacon I became extremely active in my family's business. Thanks to Ruby and her activeness in her dream to be a huntress she helped me get the means to help myself and take my father out of his seat. Winter and I work together to keep the business running smoothly and keep the Dust prices low. In turn of that more people are training at warrior schools and discovering their semblances and helping against the Grimm."

Roman looked at Ruby, "You really helped out Vale didn't you?"

"Niceness from one simple honest soul helps a lot of people," Blake said.

"Really Kitty Cat tell me how?" he asked.

"Thanks to Ruby's money I was able to help out as many Faunus as I could that had left the White Fang and many homeless was brought off the street. Adam had disappeared but I had told him he always had a home in Vale. A lot of the Faunus I helped now help me fight off discrimination and stop homeless from going without for all walks of life. I think all it takes is some determined people to make things better and other who have the same dreams to make things work."

Roman looked at Yang.

"And you Sunshine?"

Yang laughed.

"I was able to help build a special device that stops illusions from being cast after the fight is over in the Vytal Arena. It's almost like a semblance blocker. It's stopped thirty different challengers from trying and it stops anyone from being disqualified. I also opened a fighting school for some fighters who don't want to use weapons and prefer hand to hand combat."

Ruby smiled proudly at all her friends.

"Well Red, you did great."

Ruby grinned.

"Thank you that means a lot."

Yang got on her motorcycle to meet her bad boy boyfriend while Blake and Weiss went on a date. Neo, Roman and Ruby strolled home taking it easy after their hard day of training. Roman had dubbed them the Blurry Duo after watching them taking out packs of Grimm in an instant. Neo held their hands skipping along happily.

When they got home Neo made some popcorn and they sat down watching a movie until midnight. Roman carried Neo to her room and took of her combat boots. Ruby had gone in her room, stripping down to her panties and bra. She was way too tired to take a shower so she just took everything off and put on her heart pajamas crawling into bed.

"Roman are you coming?" Ruby called out.

Roman poked his head in.

"That would require us to be naked in a lustful embrace," he said winking at her.

Ruby laughed throwing a pillow at him. He dodged it and flung it back at her.

"Red I've had enough fighting for the day. Watching you and Neo wore me out."

Ruby laughed and laid back.

"Red, I have a question for you."

"Yessss?"

"What did you do to my cane," Roman asked.

"Huh?"

"It's a lot different now."

"OH! Yea I never explained what I wanted and had done to it! You know how Weiss's sword has a revolving chamber? Well I took the same idea kind of and had a special chamber put in yours. There's a slot that can you can put fire or ice Dust into it and you have a special little button that changes between the two or combines them to make Freezing Fire or Burning Ice. The Freezing Fire is more of wide range while the Burning Ice is more for one or two close targets.

"I had the guy add in a special chamber that speeds the bullet up as they come out enhancing their speed and destructive power but you can shut it off but turning the end of your cane slightly. I tested it out before I left with it and it is super awesome! I had forgotten with all the excitement we've been having lately. I hope you don't mind I have stuff added- Oh yea tomorrow I'm taking Neo's umbrella down to get hers done too but she gets to pick how she wants her done."

Roman gave her a weak smile.

"You mean to tell me she's gonna be more deadly?"

"Yup!"

"She's gonna kill me with it one day I swear," he groaned.

"But she loves you and you guys are best friends."

Roman nodded slightly.

"Sometimes I think she aims to kill me; she's almost as bad as Cinder."

Ruby patted his hand.

"Roman I love you."

"I love you too Ruby… but later you really are gonna have to do your essay."  
Ruby glared at him.

"Really?"

"Well yes; it's part of your grade and you have to have it done before your big mission."

"Fine… I'll do it tomorrow."

Roman gave her one long kiss, wrapping his arms around her and they fell asleep.


	10. A Promise for Love

Ruby sat at her kitchen table writing out her essay with the help of Neo. She was very informative about the different types of Grimm there were and what kind of attacks they had. Neo was nice enough to write and draw things out with her. Roman was busy showering while they did Ruby's homework; which he was glad he had time to finally think alone.

Now he had to worry about Grimm. Why would Atlas provide a job that their army could do instead of asking Red to do it? He found it strange that they would pay that much for a simple Grimm clean out. What kind of thing was Red walking into and why didn't she know any details? It all seemed very strange indeed.

He heard the bathroom door open and he frowned. He pulled the curtain back to see Neo sitting on the toilet peeing. He glared at her as she gave him an evil smile. What the hell was she doing or planning on doing? He found out when she flushed the toilet; the water in the shower turned freezing cold and he scream like a girl. Neo was pulling up her panties as she ran out of the bathroom as fast as she could.

"NEOOOOOOO!"

Ruby was on the floor laughing so hard she was getting ready to pee herself.

Neo was small enough to hide underneath the couch.

"DAMNIT WOMAN! THERE'S NO MORE HOT WATER!"

Roman flung the bathroom door open to see his girlfriend in a laughing fit.

"Neo where are you?!" he yelled.

When he walked by the couch Neo reached out and yanked the towel off of him. He yelped in surprise and Ruby slapped his ass. Roman looked at her with his face all red trying to hide his junk from Neo. He looked frantically around and couldn't find her so he turned to Ruby and crouched down to meet her as she sat on the floor.

"Red, I'm not into being spanked but I can spank you if you want or not; so don't touch my ass again."

"But it's so firm I can bounce things off of it!" she said trying to keep a straight face.

He just shook his head and groaned.

Neo poked him in the forehead as she was perched on the back of the couch.

"You're truly evil you really are."

Ruby had dropped off Neo's parasol at the same shop that fixed Roman's cane. While she was gone Roman and Neo were watching TV as Neo ate six grilled cheese sandwiches. He honestly couldn't believe the amount of food the girls ate; it almost made him sick to watch. He looked over at Ruby's essay which ended up being twenty-one pages long.

"Neo."

She looked up at him with a piece of bread hanging out of her mouth.

"There's something weird about that Atlas job."

Neo signed: **_What do you mean?_**

"Well, they had a giant army; why enlist for Red's help?"

Neo looked at him with a thinking glance.

Neo signed: **_I've heard they had lost a bunch of robots lately. Maybe they need help figuring out who's destroying them. I don't think Ruby would take some mission that was ridiculously dangerous._**

"I don't know. I don't like but we'll go anyways."

Neo nodded: **_Maybe we can find out more when we get there; it might be a high risk security thing._**

Roman sighed and Neo patted his leg as she shoved her last grilled cheese into her mouth.

Yang picked up her scroll and tried calling Weiss because she was on the way to Atlas. Weiss was really worried about Ruby's next mission and she had some pull with the general. Weiss didn't answer making her more anxious. Blake sat on her bed looking sad, missing her girlfriend knowing what she was doing didn't ease her mind any.

"I wish she would answer," Yang said sitting down.

"I know and I messaged her ten times," Blake said quietly.

Yang laced her fingers together thinking about her sister.

None of them ever interfered with her missions because they all seemed reasonable but this time was weird. Once in a while people would go up to Ruby personally and ask her to do something but the fact she had half the Atlas army and the general show up at Beacon to ask her was a whole other story. If their army couldn't do it what was she really going up against? What was it that they were hiding?

Weiss was with her when they showed up and even then she thought it strange. Ruby had taken signing papers without asking questions. All three of them knew she loved challenges but this may be taking it too far. Yang had asked Qrow but he said to let her do what she wanted.

"Damnit!" Yang yelled.

"Yang calm down. Weiss is going to find out; so let's do our essay ok?"

Yang groaned, "I forgot about that."

Blake cracked a smile, "Weiss did hers already and you'll probably have Ruby calling for your help before she goes anyways."

"That's very true. I'm surprised she didn't call me yet. Probably having too much fun with Torchwick."

Blake shook her head.

"You heard what he said. He seems more like gentleman since he isn't trying to kill us anymore."  
"Yea that's true."

Ruby jumped into the shower and she was relieved to get one finally. She felt dirty from all her training with her friends and boyfriend yesterday but she felt energized. She was ready for that mission and her first one with her new team (RNR) but she never told them that yet. She already had messaged Ironwood of her two new additions and he was ok with it.

Ruby rinsed her hair out and got out. There was a knock at the bathroom door and it creaked open. Roman poked his head in giving her a cocky grin. Her eyes narrowed at him but let him in anyways.

"Yes?"

"I want some kisses."

Ruby arched an eyebrow, "Ok…"

Roman wrapped his strong arms around her pulling her closer to him. He pressed his lips against hers; they were soft and wet. Ruby let out a slight moan and grinded her hips against him. He wrapped her long hair in his fingers pulling slightly making her moan louder.

"Does that feel good Ruby?" he asked.

Her eyes flew open.

"I love to hear my name coming from your mouth," she whispered.

"Really?" he asked.

"I like being called Red and everything but it's like a treat almost hearing you say my name. Can I ask you a question?" Ruby asked softly, stroking his cheek.

"Anything you want I can give it to you."

"When we get back I want… I want you to make love to me."

Roman pulled back from her to look into her eyes. Her silver eyes showed tenderness but she was really serious. She didn't look flustered or even give him that teasing smile she gave him like the night in the shower. He brushed her wet hair from her face.

"Ruby are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes… I had been thinking about it and everything and I really love you. The day I found you in the alley hurt; it actually made my heart wrench. I always believed everyone had a nice side and you guys proved me right. You make me feel all kinds of emotions at once… I love that about you.

"You make everything seem so simple when I was the kind to take everything so seriously even though I didn't show it. I became so involved with my missions I forgot everything else. Neo stabbing my shoulder was a wake-up call almost and when you acted the way you did in the hospital, it made me realize something. No matter what I do people will always doubt my intentions."

Ruby's eyes filled up with tears.

"Red, don't cry."

"I'm glad you did trust me enough and I think if it wasn't for Neo you wouldn't have come so easily. Thank you for trusting me; thank you for believing that not everyone you meet is after you and that forgiveness is easily obtained if you want it bad enough. I want to share something with you I don't ever want to give anyone else. I know it's so soon but I want to be with you forever."

Roman's eyes widened.

"I didn't know how strongly you felt for me but even this is a surprise."

Roman wiped away the tears that streamed down her face.

"I want to thank you for giving Neo and me a second chance. No one else gave us a chance even after we turned in Cinder. I was scared for us because Neo is mute and people shun her and then everyone knows who I am. I hate people more than anything but I'm not a killer. I love you Ruby Rose. I'm also glad your friends and your sister accepted me so easily."

Ruby gave him a teary smile.

As they hugged again the bathroom door creaked open, making them both turn to see a crying Neo. Her face was pink and tears stained her cute little face. Roman just gave her a sympathetic smile and put his arm around her. She stepped back.

 ** _You guys are so cute and it's nice to hear Roman being nice! I love you guys so much and I just want to stay here forever and watch you guys have babies and I'm going to be the best Aunt Neo there ever was I promise!_** Neo signed.

"Babies what?" Roman said in disbelief.

Neo started crying again and that made Ruby cry too. Ruby fell to her knees and the girls hugged each other as they cried. Roman just shook his head in disbelief. He loved Ruby but he honestly went in there to try and feel his hot girlfriend up; not hear about babies and hear the girls cry. He patted them on the head giving them a weak smile.

 _Wow, women…._

Weiss stepped into the Beacon dorm room and she was immediately greeted with a hug and a kiss from Blake. Yang literally ripped Weiss from her girlfriend's embrace.

"Well?!" Yang yelled.

"Well nice to see you too Yang (Yang tapped her foot impatiently). General Ironwood completely refused to release any details about RNR's mission. Apparently that's Ruby's mission team name. He didn't once say anything who the NR was and I highly doubt he knows Ruby has started dating Roman and that Neo is with her. I don't know if he'll let two ex-criminals into the Atlas for a high bounty mission; so we'll just have to wait and see."

Yang collapsed onto the ground frustrated.

"I hated Torchwick but I really hate General Ironwood."

Blake nodded in agreement.

"I don't see why they can't tell us or even her what is going on. I hope it isn't that bad," Weiss said.

"Hopefully it has to do with files or reclaiming territory or something of that nature," Blake said to Yang hoping she'd feel better.

Yang just stared out the window. Her heart felt heavy and she couldn't explain why.

Ruby laid on the couch with Neo sleeping on top of her and Roman was trying to squeeze in to sit down but it was no use. He sat on the floor in front of them as he ate some cereal; he wasn't in the mood to cook. He looked at his girlfriend and his best friends; they almost looked like sisters taking a nap together. He just shook his head and began watching TV again.

 _Ruby stood in the middle of a large field full of dark green grass. She looked around frantically as she saw the grass was covered in blood and Grimm limbs. She ran calling for Roman. Where was he? She thought she had just seen him in the clearing and suddenly he was gone._

 _She begun to panic; her heart beating so hard it made her chest. She collapsed to her knees clutching her chest; she was having a full blown panic attack in a place full of Grimm. She never had that happen before but she… couldn't find Roman. Where was he?_

 _Ruby heard her name being called._

 _"_ _Ruby… Ruby…" the voice called sounding weak._

 _"_ _ROMAN! PLEASE WHERE ARE YOU!" she screamed._

 _"_ _Ruby…"_

 _Out of nowhere Neo staggered into the clearing covered in blood._

 _"_ _Ruby, I'm so sorry," she cried tears falling down her face._

 _"_ _N-neo?"_

 _"_ _He tried to help but he got in the way and he's oh my god…"_

 _She dropped the parasol onto the ground collapsing, shaking uncontrollably._

 _"_ _Neo I don't understand! Where's Roman?!" Ruby screamed._

 _"_ _He's dead…"_

"RED!"

Ruby jerked awake. She was covered in sweat and breathing hard.

"Red! What's wrong!"

Ruby's eyes filled with frightened tears.

"Y-y-you died and N-n-neo was crying and there was b-b-blood everywhere…"

Neo looked at Roman.

"Red, it was just a nightmare. Are you okay now?" Roman asked rubbing her back.

She crawled into his lap and started crying uncontrollably. The nightmare was so real but Neo was talking in it. Of course; how could she be so stupid to panic? She glanced up to see Neo's worried filled face. Her eyes were both pink this time; it looked kind of pretty.

"You were talking in the nightmare. I should've known better, Neo."

Neo grinned.

"It's ok; sometimes dreams still make us panic even if it makes us feel dumb," Roman said stroking Ruby's long locks.

Neo ran to her room nearly knocking over the stand with the lamp on it. Roman caught the lamp and set it back down glaring at Neo. Ruby and Roman could see Neo throwing a bunch of panties out of her dresser landing everywhere in her room. She walked back out with a disc in her hand.

Neo walked over to the TV and inserted the disc into the DVD slot and hit the play button. She patted the couch for her two friends to sit beside her. Roman looked at Neo funny; he hadn't ever seen that disc before. It looked old and dusty.

The screen lit up and a small teenage girl stood on a stage waving. She had brown and pink hair and her eyes were flickering between colors. She bowed and began dancing around the stage. Ruby looked at Neo; she was a ballet dancer at one point, it explained how she moved so elegantly.

After five minutes of dancing she stopped and bowed again. A tall man handed her a microphone and she opened her mouth. The young Neo began singing so beautifully; Roman had tears in his eyes. Her voice was like silk; she made no mistakes in her song. She smiled the whole song not taking her eyes off the camera.

After a couple of minutes, she finished her song and bowed again. Then the young Neo began talking.

 _"_ _Miss Lang, what did you think?"_

 _"_ _Your parents would be proud Neopolitan! Great job!"_

The video cut off. Ruby and Roman looked at Neo in complete awe.

Neo signed: **_I got a throat cancer shortly after I turned twelve and I managed to keep singing anyways. What you heard was my last song and dance the day before I had surgery to save my life. I wasn't always mute. I never shared this with anymore because it hurt to watch it._**

 **** ** _I love you two enough to show you. This is the first time I watched it without crying. I always felt so lonely and ashamed. But finally you Ruby; you gave me a voice so others can hear me and it makes me happy that I trusted you. I love you so much. And Roman; thank you for sticking by my side; I know I'm difficult sometimes. I love you too._**

"Say it louder for the people in the back," Roman murmured smiling.

"Neo that's so beautiful!" Ruby squeaked fighting back tears.

Later that night they stayed up until three in the morning talking about their childhoods. Neo's and Romans were more interesting than Ruby's. Ruby was enthralled by Neo's stories of her dancing and Roman's stealing things to survive. Ruby told them about her mother that died when she was young, almost making Neo cry.

That night was the last night they were going to have in the apartment for almost a week; soon they were going to be under the stars surrounded by danger. They slept on the couch together that night. Ruby had her head on Roman's shoulder and Neo lay across both their laps. Neo never felt so accepted by people before until she met Roman and team RWBY.


	11. Bad News

I watched the newest episode and I was crushed... Ugh... if you have watched it then go ahead and read. this has a little piece of the newest episode that came out. enjoy :)

Ruby walked into Professor Port's class and handed over her essay. He raised an eyebrow at her but took her essay anyways. She waited patiently as he read it over and he kept glancing at her as he read every page. Finally, he graded it and held it back to her. She got a perfect score.

"My! I had no idea you were that knowledgeable Miss Rose; when did you do the field research?" he asked.

"A few friends and I went training Saturday. One friend helped me do the essay because I wasn't sure exactly how to start it. I learned a lot from her," Ruby said smiling.

"Maybe one day she can come and be a guest speaker!" he said with great enthusiasm.

"Well maybe later next week; she's going on my mission with me."

"Next Thursday then Miss Rose I would love her to be here!"

Ruby skipped down the hall to her dorm to tell everyone they were leaving tonight. She opened the door slowly and looked inside. Her eyes widened as she saw Weiss and Blake getting dressed with their faces all pink. Ruby slipped and fell into the room.

"Oh I… I'm so sorry!" Ruby cried out.

Weiss put her hands on her hips while Blake helped Ruby up and closed the door.

"I didn't know- I just came by to tell you we are leaving at one in the morning and everything. Where's Yang?"

"Yang went to get dinner with her boyfriend," Weiss said rolling her eyes.

"Ruby are you sure that you want to do that mission?" Blake asked.

"So you guys thought the lack of info was strange too huh?" Ruby asked.

Weiss and Blake stared at her.

"That's why I took in the first place."

"But why?" Weiss whispered.

"After Cinder and her big ol' power trip I've been watching General Ironwood. I was asked to do so by Ozpin; it actually made me happy. That's why I got granted to do missions three weeks a month. I haven't been able to get everything I wanted but Ozpin was proud of the work I've done so far.

"I have been watching them closely and with some help from Uncle Qrow it wasn't that hard. That's why I was glad you took over your father's company; the general stopped being so sneaky. They asked for my help because I'm faster and I can get in get out quickly. I took it knowing something was up; there were a lot of Grimm activity over there recently."

"Wow," Blake and Weiss said together.

"I also know about your trip there," Ruby said smiling.

"I'll be fine and let Yang know what I told you. I have to get a nap in and pack up ok?"

Ruby used her semblance to get back to her apartment in ten minutes. She walked in and to her surprise Neo was asleep laying on the back of the couch like a cat and Roman was packing their travel bags. He looked up and smiled at Ruby with an actual sweet smile. Ruby took a picture of Neo and then kissed Roman.

"You're home already?" he asked, running his hands down her back and grabbing her butt.

Ruby giggled, her cheeks turning red.

"I went ahead and turned in my paper; I got a perfect grade. Professor Port would like Neo to come in next week as a guest speaker."

Roman picked up Ruby bridal style and carried her to her bed, shutting the door with is foot. He threw her in the middle of the bed and jumped on top of her making her squeak in surprise. He began kissing her lips and trailed kisses down her neck down to her cleavage. He stared into her eyes with a fierce look as he unlaced her corset.

"R-roman what are you doing?" she whispered.

"I want a little fun before we head out."

Roman pulled her corset from under her and threw it to the floor. He slipped her black dress down to her feet pulling it off of her. His breathing became hot and heavy against her cool pale skin. She arched her back a little as he ran his tongue over her panties making her moan.

"Red, can I?" he asked as he pulled her black underwear to the side.

"Yes," she whispered softly.

He could tell she wanted it as bad as he did but he wouldn't press her beyond what she would like. Roman rubbed her clit making Ruby grabbed her sheets gasping out loud; she really hadn't been touched by anyone before. The thought that he was Red's first excited him even more as he slid too fingers inside her. She struggled against the foreign feeling; it actually kind of hurt her.

"Red are you ok?" he whispered into her ear sending shivers down her spine.

"Yes," she said but it was barely audible as he moved his fingers in and out a little faster.

Roman kissed her lips hard almost hurting her but she didn't care. She tightened up around his fingers moaning louder into his ear exciting him more. He caressed her left breast in his hand and started sucking on the other watching her face as she was in complete ecstasy. He pulled away not wanting to lose his self-control.

"Please don't stop Roman…" she moaned pleading for the lustful affection he had given her,

He started back up and she let out a cry and tighten even more around his fingers as she climaxed. She fell back onto the bed panting. Roman smiled at her pink face. She met his gaze smiling with a love struck look on her face.

"I wasn't excepting that," he whispered.

"Me either… Now I know why Yang always kept talking about it," Ruby said blushing more.

"Well I think we need a shower now. I'll change the sheets; I'll meet you in the bathroom."

"The sheets why?"

Roman held up his hand and Ruby stared in horror.

"Calm down it's normal Ruby."

She gave him a worried look.

"Oh… Are you sure?"

"Yes. One time Neo had a guy over and after he left she was crying because she ruined her favorite sheets," he said chuckling over the memory.

Ruby smiled.

"Ok. I'll see you in a minute."

Ruby peeked her head into the living room and saw that Neo was still asleep. She crept into the bathroom and started up the shower. Roman balled up the sheets and tried cleaning off Red's mattress but the blood wasn't coming out. He groaned and stood back up.

Apparently Neo woke up and walked to Ruby's doorway her jaw dropped. Roman looked up and saw Neo's pale angry face. He looked at her horror stricken face then back to the bloody spot and his bloody hand. It looked like he had killed her precious friend and before he could explain what happened she grabbed his cane and started beating him with it.

"DAMNIT NEO IT ISN'T WHAT YOU THINK!" he bellowed.

Ruby heard the commotion from the shower and jumped out wrapping a towel around herself and went to see what had happened. Neo stopped when she saw Ruby at the doorway dripping wet. She looked back at Roman her face turning pink with embarrassment. Neo ran out of the bedroom covering her face with her hands crying.

"What happened?!" Ruby cried out, looking like she was going to cry.

"I think Neo thought I had murdered you while she was asleep and started beating me with my own weapon. I would think she knew there'd be a lot more blood than this but she had just woken up. Neo is smart as hell but she's so naïve sometimes. I'll go talk to her," Roman said sighing.

Ruby smiled.

"Hurry so we can shower," she said, walking off.

Roman went into Neo's room explaining what had happened. Neo gave him a stupid grin and apologized several times. He went back to the bathroom and closed the door. _I almost hate Red for giving my weapon that upgrade. That metal is a lot harder than the last time Neo had hit me with it. Shit that sucked._

Roman climbed into the shower to see Ruby had already finished.

"Damnit, I didn't even get to help you this time," he growled rinsing his hands off.

He looked at her.

"Why are you giving me that look?" Roman asked.

Ruby gave him a sexy smile.

"I want to help you since you helped me in the bedroom."

Neo rechecked her bag to make sure Roman got everything in there. She went to her bedroom grabbing her boots and started pulling them on when she held a loud noise. It was hard to tell what it was because it was muffled by the wall. She put her ear against the wall and listened.

"God Red, faster…"

Neo jerked her head away blushing deeply. She ran out onto the balcony and waited for them to finish their "shower".

Roman and Ruby took a nap on the couch until midnight. They gathered all their stuff and Ruby pad locked the apartment shut. She had left Yang a key to check up on her apartment and get her mail while she was gone. The man who ran the building was particularly careful about Ruby's apartment since she paid one million Lien for it and offered to help him with anything paperwork the last day of each month if he needed it.

"Guys guess what!" Ruby said hopping up and down as they wait for their ride to Atlas.

"What?"

"We are mission team RNR."

Roman gave her a what the fuck look and Neo thought it was a brilliant name.

"Why Red? _Why?_ " Roman asked rubbing his temples.

"I wanted us to be more official if anyone asked for your affiliation and I thought hey, why not be called RNR (roar). Because we are awesome and fierce and our enemies will soon lay at our feet; well as long as they're Grimm. General Ironwood will be a little surprised that I'm bringing you with me but it's ok. He's been at least ten of my mission providers. What?" Ruby asked.

Neo and Roman looked at each other.

"Why do we have to meet him for?" Roman asked rather annoyed.

"Well he didn't exactly give me all the details for my mission. Which I can understand since it's thirty-thousand Lien."

Ruby looked up and recognized the ship that started to land; it was Weiss's sister Winter. Winter stepped out giving Ruby a big hug. Since Ruby was the reason they fixed the Schnee company and she helped take down Cinder, Winter respected Ruby a lot more. Ruby held out her hand towards her teammates.

"This is my team. We are RNR. Roman is my boyfriend now and Neo is his best friend."

Winter arched an eyebrow.

"Ok… Let's be on our way then."

Ruby smiled at her new team but they both looked uneasy. Ruby didn't think it was from the flying or anything; she had wondered it was because Ironwood was the one who locked them up two years ago. She patted Roman's leg and laced her fingers with his giving him a reassuring smile. Neo gripped hard on Roman's other hand.

"You two look rather uneasy," Winter stated.

Neo looked up at her then glanced at Roman who showed no emotion.

"He won't lock you away. If Ruby trusts you enough then we do too."

Neo smiled.

"Your parasol looks a lot different than the last time I saw you," Winter said.

Neo smiled and nodded.

"Ruby had it upgraded for her. She did the same for my cane."

Ruby grinned.

"Ruby always was very generous when she could be. Once again Ruby thank you for helping us restore the Schnee family name."

Neo looked down at her parasol. Ruby had the pink color enhanced to a deeper shade and the handle had ice cream cones engraved for a better grip. Her sword had a dust encrusted edge for more lethal striking power. Her parasol could fire off different Dust rounds instead of just the red Dust rounds.

Neo gripped her parasol nervously. Neither one of them wanted to tell Ruby about how they betrayed Cinder for Vale's safety and their own. Ironwood made them promise to keep quiet about it. They weren't your run of the mill criminals- they had higher standards than Adam and Cinder had. Killing people weren't in their nature like everyone had thought.

Roman was thinking the same thing. Atlas wanted all the glory so they let them have it. Roman didn't want Cinder to know he had his own agenda and that was to pay for Neo's throat surgery. The plan had slipped through his fingers once he got caught and he never even told Neo about it. Atlas had the technology to help her, but he knew that they wouldn't help.

Both girls had fallen asleep on Roman's shoulders but he had stayed awake thinking about everything. He had wondered how much Winter really knew about him and Neo but he didn't want to question her. Winter kept watching him and Neo with questioning eye even though she had said she trusted Ruby's decision. Roman sighed another look from the woman.

"What's wrong Torchwick?" Winter asked.

"I'm thinking," he said looking at his cane avoiding her eyes.

"Ah."

"But you look like you want to say something to me don't you Schnee?" he asked in a low voice.

"I do."

"Well then?" he said waving his hand for her to keep going.

"Why would you betray Cinder? I know she was really powerful," Winter said lowering her voice to where he was the only one to hear her.

Her blue eyes watched him closely, almost waiting for him to lie.

"Because we had different intentions."

"Oh and what does that mean?"

"Are you asking for yourself or your general?" Roman asked in a threatening tone.

"For myself," she stated giving him a weak smile.

They sat in silence for a couple minutes.

"Weiss had already told me about you and Ruby. Not telling me as a spy but as a sister. She was pretty happy someone was able to love Ruby for her pure innocence. I just never thought that an ex-criminal would be her boyfriend," Winter said grinning at the irony.

Roman raised an eyebrow.

"I never killed anyone. Cinder did that shit; Neo and I just needed money to live. Murdering people isn't for us. Neo is way too sensitive to kill anyone and I couldn't sleep at night if I did that. I defended myself more than anything and Neo is known to stab but no fatally wound."

"That's odd to hear," she said sounding really surprised.

"You're an idiot to think every person fits in a stereotypical group. Some criminals are indeed evil but some of us have reasons beyond greed; we think of others. Not all good people are exactly 'good'. Some look and play the part but it takes a lot to be an actual real good person.

"Ruby is a real good person; she barely thinks of herself. On the other hand, your general is the kind that looks good and plays the part but isn't. Cinder was evil; she was selfish and murderous but so is your general at heart. The Grimm invasion wasn't something I wanted. In fact, if I hadn't been knocked out I would've stopped the train."

Winter grinned, "Wow."

"Is something funny?" Roman asked.

"No. I misjudged you just like I did Ruby when I first met her."

Roman looked out the window.

"I didn't deserve the second chance I got but Neo did."

They landed in Atlas after a four hour ride there. Roman gently shook Ruby's arm to wake her up. She stood up stretching almost falling over giving Winter a light giggle. Neo yawned and stretched rubbing her tired eyes.

Roman looked at Winter as she saluted to Ironwood and she walked away. Ironwood turned to RNR looking a bit surprised. Ruby saluted to him smiling proudly.

"Well this is a surprise. I thought maybe you two had died," he said flatly.

Neo glared at him holding onto Ruby's arm. Ruby's heart wrenched at the vile words.

"They are equal members of RNR and I'd appreciate it if you respected them as well."

Roman had to cough away a laugh while Neo gave Ironwood an evil smile.

"Yes ma'am."

He led them to a small grayed colored shack with a blue door. Winter had come out greeting them again and they walked inside single file. Ruby bowed to her and sat at the table with Roman and Neo following her lead. Roman gave Winter a quick nod; she nodded back smiling.

"There's been a few changes to your mission. First off your pay has increased to seventy-thousand Lien (Neo and Roman's jaws dropped open but Ruby remained unaffected by the amount) because of certain complications we came across. Second we will be providing extra Dust and ammo of your choosing. Third is the details we will give you now."

Ruby nodded never breaking eye contact with Ironwood.

"As you know we executed Cinder two years ago without questioning her because the maiden's power was too great to risk at the time. It turns out that she had done something more horrific than we could ever imagine. We had sent in troops to get the creatures but no such luck. We questioned Emerald and Mercury after her death but they still refused to talk. That's where you come in and I'm glad you have help.

"There's ten creatures that are running over Remnant. For some reason most are in Atlas and I think it was a tactical plan to destroy stability here and it started working. We think after she was executed they had been released by the maiden's power that had escaped her body. Any questions so far?"

"Keep going," Ruby said.

Roman arched an eyebrow looking at his girlfriend in deep thought.

"We need to kill all ten of them and quick. They devour other Grimm and become bigger; stronger. They mutate; growing more limbs or heavy duty armor. I have a folder with all their files and I have video footage of a few of them if you would like to see," he said sliding the manila folder across the steel table.

Roman shifted in his seat due to the uncomfortable news.

"I don't want to see it," Ruby said.

Neo shook her head.

Roman sighed pathetically but he said no too.

"Well I didn't think you would refuse valuable information."

Winter smiled.

"We are ready when you are," Ruby said pulling out Crescent Rose.

Ironwood sat back in his chair allowing Winter to take them to their starting point.

The air outside seemed to have gotten colder than when they went in. Ruby looked around like she was waiting for something to jump at them. Apparently Neo felt the same way because she pulled out her parasol. Roman grabbed Ruby's arm.

"What are you thinking exactly? Cinder created those things-

"We'll be ok," Ruby whispered kissing his lips.

Winter patted Ruby's shoulder and led them on a narrow paved path into a large clearing. The grass surrounding it was tall and dark looking. Winter waved to them and was off to the shack again. Ruby smiled at Neo and took her parasol. Neo blinked in confusion.

Ruby twisted the handle and a small click was heard. Ruby motioned for them to follow her as she started running. They got into the dark woods and Ruby held up her hand for them to stop. Ruby turned to her team grinning.

"Sorry for that; I had to make sure the jammer was activated before I could talk."

"What?" Roman asked in disbelief.

Neo signed: **_What's going on Ruby?_**

"Well for one Cinder didn't create the creatures we are hunting; Atlas did. Even worse, those lab created Grimm use Dust that was infused into their bodies to attack. They are a lot smarter and they have the ability to think. Ozpin and I have suspected Ironwood of doing inhuman things after Penny had been destroyed."

"What?!" Roman yelled.

"Those creatures were a last resort to destroy Cinder. The idea had failed and Ironwood is walking a thin line. Winter wants control of the army and use it for its true purpose; protecting people. If Winter betrays me then my Uncle Qrow gets the army until he finds a suitable person to lead."

Neo frowned as she signed: **_This is risky; why are you doing this?_**

"Because as long as corrupt people run free the world can't be at peace. Rumor is that Atlas had exterminated the real Grimm a long time ago and created clones that they could control. Cinder found out and found a way to create the real kind. Atlas holds the key for us to find out where Grimm really come from. I'm here to take down Atlas' corrupt government and everything that stands with it."

Neo signed: **_Why you though? It makes no sense._**

"No it does," Roman said grinning evilly.

"No one would except the innocent naïve Ruby Rose to do anything at this scale," Ruby said grinning at her teammates.

"I'm in. What about you Neo?" Roman asked her as they bumped fists.

Neo signed: **_Let's kick some ass!_**


	12. Battles of Grimm

They walked further into the woods making Roman more uneasy; these creatures were no joke if they can destroy Atlas' armies without Atlas even taking one down. He was criminal that had henchman to do his dirty work; he wasn't used to being in the middle of fight. He glanced at his best friend; even she lost cheerfulness and was being really careful. They knew about the experiments Atlas did on people and aura but he never thought they were dumb enough to make a hybrid Grimm. What was the strangest part that no one stopped Atlas before; how did they keep it so quiet?

Roman watched his girlfriend as she led the way; she didn't act like she was nervous. She acted her normal-self strolling through the woods like it was a park. He couldn't help but admire her because she had bigger balls than half the hunters in Remnant. What in the world would possess someone to try and take down a government single handedly? He wondered what else there was; what was the _whole story?_

"Red, I have a question for you," Roman said the eyeing tree branches as he passed under them.

"Yes?"

"Why were you going to do this alone? Overthrowing a super power like Atlas should take more than person; even practically an army."

Neo nodded in agreement.

"You're right but either way it had to be done. Penny was one of my best friends but after the Vytal festival that kind of…. (she trailed off for a second her eyes becoming sad and dark) That kind of research was no longer allowed. Pyrrha finally gained control of Amber's power but everyone felt it was better to take down a bad guy with that kind of power than force it into. Ironwood hurt people with what he done and he doesn't seem to care.

"We are afraid of what he'll do to get his way and even if he was unaware of the experiments going on he didn't correct the problem or even attempt too. I don't understand how you know bad things are happening and you don't even stop it or ask for the help. We still have to do the shut down in Atlas and my team in Beacon will know when it's time for their part.

"Just so know I anything goes wrong tell Weiss 'my cookie fell in the milk' and she'll immediately send help because half of Beacon will flock here for us. I know everything is happening so fast but I took the job three weeks ago. Yang, Blake and Weiss all refused even though I needed them this time. They said the risk was too high for them."

"I can see why."

Ruby nodded.

"Weiss has a special program to shut Atlas down on a special server she created. Weiss is really gotten into the computer thing lately and only she has the password; I don't even know it."

Neo put her arms around Ruby giving her a sad look.

"Let's…..." Ruby trailed off.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Ruby pulled Crescent Rose out as it took its full form into a scythe. Neo must've got the same feeling because she had pulled her parasol out opening it up. Ruby touched Neo's to calm her down because she was shaking so bad. The feeling of dread filled their senses.

"Red…"

"This is one of them; be ready," she commanded.

Roman rubbed his temples. _Fuck me…_

Neo watched as Ruby took a fighting stance and followed suit. She was so nervous; she hadn't felt this kind of… darkness before. Cinder hadn't even been that evil; she was just an angry child that liked setting things on fire. She quickly glanced at Roman; he didn't look very manly at this point.

 _This is it… This is our first time as a team. I hope we live,_ Neo thought as she watched the trees shake.

Leaves began filling the air as trees started falling. Ruby gripped her weapon even tighter as the ground shook violently. Roman stepped back in horror as a loud inhuman scream filled the air; even Ruby was losing confidence by the minute and Neo wasn't doing any better.

The Grimm jumped into the clearing knocking down trees and breaking the soil wherever it stomped its thin legs. The creature looked almost like a thirty-foot spider with blue armor covering almost all its body and it had ten legs. It had ten eyes and very large fangs with purple fluid leaking from them. The color had drained from all their faces.

"Um… this one is named Feo."

"Feo? It's not a fucking dog Red!" Roman screamed.

"I know!"

Feo came charging at Roman first.

"Don't panic! Go for the legs Roman! Neo go for the head while we keep busy at the legs-

Roman ran under the first leg then the second. Ruby slammed down into the first leg but the armor was stronger than she had thought; her scythe bounced off barely giving her enough time to recover. She tumbled into the ground and charged again grabbing Roman's arm flinging him under the spider to avoid him being crushed.

Neo moved so fast it was hard to see her as she attacked. She slammed into the head armor splitting to where she saw its black flesh. She drove her sword into its head making it scream out in pain. Feo threw Neo of its head and slammed a leg into Ruby throwing her into a tree almost knocking her out.

Roman fired at Feo making it even more mad. Feo hissed spraying the purple fluid all over the grass. Roman jumped into a tree avoiding it. Neo jumped back on firing into the spilt head armor making the spider furious.

"Roman fire at its eyes and keeping watching its legs!" Ruby screamed as she charged back.

Ruby rolled back underneath to its belly. She tried slicing open Feo's skin but it was almost like rubber. She rolled back out jumping up onto the head with Neo. Neo ripped out her sword just as Ruby thrust her scythe into its skull making it howl.

Roman finally took out the two front legs making Feo unstable as it slammed it head into the ground. As Ruby pulled her scythe out a large blue crystal shot out nearly hitting Ruby. The girls looked at each other and nodded understanding what they had to do. They jumped off watching the spider sprout more blue crystals where its front legs were from.

"What's going on?" Roman asked.

"The Grimm have infused Dust. I think when its wounded it loses control of its power trying to heal itself. I think that if we keep hurting it the Dust will overtake its body and we can shatter it."

Roman clapped earning him a weird look from them both.

"Roman take the upper part of the body and we'll take the legs."

Neo signed: **_This is actually pretty easy but I think the only reason its body is reacting this way is because that's the same Dust to make ice._**

"I think that's true. So we won't assume that every Grimm is the same way."

Feo charged at them even with the Dust crystals pouring out of it. Ruby shoved them out of the way in time but it stabbed her shoulder with one the protruding crystals on its front legs. It screamed and kicked out its leg sending Ruby flying into the ground hard. Neo became furious.

Neo picked up Ruby's scythe and charged at Feo. Roman ran to Ruby's side as she tried covering the hole in her shoulder. Ruby leaned against Roman's shoulder as they stared in disbelief. Neo ripped through the eight other legs with ease causing Dust crystals to shoot off everywhere stabbing the Grimm to death.

Neo flipped backwards to safety as the Dust overtook Feo's body. She opened her parasol and started firing rounds at the giant crystal. The crystals heated up to a pink color flashing red. Neo jumped in front of her friends with her parasol open and projected her aura outward in time to protect them as the crystal exploded.

Neo signed: **_Oh my god Ruby are you ok?!_**

Ruby gave her a weak smile.

"This must be my unlucky shoulder."

Roman pulled off his white coat and then ripped the sleeves off his black shirt. Ruby flinched as he attempted to stop the bleeding. Neo pressed her hand against her hurt shoulder and closed her eyes. Roman knew what she was doing; she was healing Ruby's shoulder like she had done for him in the past.

"Neo that's a lot of aura you're pushing out," Roman whispered.

Neo shook a finger at him and then held up two fingers then pointed at herself then at Ruby.

"Red, I didn't know you knew how to heal yourself!"

"I don't. Neo's pulling my aura into my wound to heal it faster."

Roman frowned, making Neo give him a guilty smile.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"It's nothing. How are you feeling?"

"Better now. How are you?"

Roman pulled her into his arms.

"I thought I had lost you," he whispered into her ear so she was the only one who heard him.

Tears welled up into her eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere. I love you Roman."

Weiss sat her desk staring at the blank screen. She had just finished talking to Winter about Ruby on a Black Out link. She turned in her chair to see Yang staring at the floor. Her face showed no emotion but everyone knew what she was thinking.

"Ruby is going to be fine. Neo is with her and Neo whooped your ass a long time ago right?" Weiss stated giving Yang a mischievous smile.

"Thank you Weiss. That actually makes me feel better."

Blake laughed.

"Ruby would want you to smile," Blake said setting down her book.

"Do you really think those things exist?" Yang asked.

"Yes. She showed me her proof that they were real and very scary. I mean it was unfair of us to tell Ruby no but they would've caught onto us a lot faster. We made the right decision and we have to trust that Ruby can do this. What kind of teammates would be if we didn't believe in her?" Weiss said tapping away on the keyboard.

"We are the kind that refuses to go on missions with her. We all tell her we are too busy and she just stopped asking us all together," Yang said quietly.

Blake nodded sadly in agreement.

"Ruby is on the fast track; we can't help we have different reasons to go slower than her path."

"That's a pathetic excuse and you know it," Yang said.

"I know," Weiss whispered.

"Ruby is different than we are. We are willing risk ourselves if need be but she deliberately does it. She wants to help whether it's on a small or large scale. Ruby is like a super hero to the people of Vale but no one is caring what it is doing to her. She is so stressed all the time," Yang said.

"Ruby won't listen to us unless she's really hurt which hasn't happened yet so thank goodness," Blake said.

The three of them nodded quietly.

"Red, what are you doing?" Roman asked.

"I'm looking up the Grimm on my scroll."

Neo nodded.

"What the hell? You know about this Neo?"

Neo signed: **_Ruby and I did her essay together remember? She had Weiss create a special device that detects extreme negative emotions. If most of the creatures are near here, then she can find them and even emit a sound to attract them._**

"Great and its barely past noon. How many more do you plan on having us fight today?"

Ruby looked at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Really? Neither one of you have a problem with fighting super powered creatures from hell?"

They both grinned at him then turned their attention back to the scroll.

"You two are crazy you know that?"

They nodded.

"It looks like another one is coming this way but at a higher speed. I remember reading about an eight armed Beowolf named Alex. Maybe that's him. If it is then, Roman you're gonna be my number one player and Neo will be helping you. The rumor is he calls regular Beowolves and eats them. I'll kill the smaller ones while you take on Alex if that's what's coming at us."

Neo nodded but Roman shook his head.

"If this is a test of my love for you then I'll let you know now I'll probably fail."

Neo slapped his arm annoyed.

"I'm being serious. I'm not good with hand to hand combat remember?" Ruby said.

"Oh…."

"Yea and from what Yang told us about Neo she definitely is and I saw it first-hand."

 _Now I know why Ozpin made her the leader. It suits her well. She isn't a kid anymore; she is a full fledge huntress. I didn't know it was possible that I could fall even more in love with her until now._

"Ruby" he had started but he didn't have time to finish his sentence. Neo stood up firing at a huge boulder that was headed towards them.

It shattered throwing rock everywhere. Ruby put her scroll away and stood up. Alex came into view and he was big muscular wise. He howled into the air loudly. Neo grabbed Roman's arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Red are you sure about this?"

Ruby nodded and turned to jump into a tree waiting.

Neo signed to him quickly: **_She's really hurt still. She won't come out and say it but you can tell she is that's why we are fighting while she waits. Grow some balls and help me!_**

"Ok ok ok."

Ruby watched as her teammates ran after the large Beowolf. Her shoulder was hurting really bad but she didn't want Roman to worry. It was going to be hard to use her scythe but she was gonna have to do it. She watched them as she waited for her prey to come along.

It took Neo and Roman both to counter the attacks Alex was dishing out. Ruby was amazed about how fast Roman moved his arms to counter the attacks with his cane and firing shots in succession. She had excepted that kind of thing from Neo but not from him. She grinned to herself; he has improved a lot.

Ruby turned around and saw the Beowolves were charging to the fight but they stopped at the trees. They looked at her and then back at Alex growling. It clicked in her head; Alex was stealing territory from them and they didn't like it. Ruby stayed in the tree watching the smaller Grimm.

Roman continued blocking until he had an opening provided by Neo herself and he pulled out his sword and thrust it into the Grimm's ribcage twisting it. Neo blew off one of the arms and twirled around his body breaking its neck with one twist.

Roman picked Neo up and they hid behind the trees as Alex exploded into yellow and blue Dust crystals.

The Beowolves disappeared into the trees leaving them alone at least for now.

Neo laid on the tree branch wore out.

"Let's rest guys. Let me message Weiss and we can continue in an hour or so."

"I got a message from Ruby!" Weiss yelled out.

Yang jerked the scroll from her hands.

"Yang just because this a temporary one doesn't mean you can try and break it!"

Yang's eyebrows disappeared into bangs.

"What?" Blake asked.

"They took out two out of ten already and they need to know where the other ones are."

"Wow," said the couple.

"Okay which ones were they?" Weiss asked.

Yang began texting her sister.

Weiss started typing in codes and waited for Ruby's answer.

"She said Neo said hi," Yang giggled.

Blake smiled.

"Ok, she said the ten-legged spider Feo and the eight-armed Beowolf named Alex."

"Those are the tough ones. Ok just one moment."

"You want me to message Ozpin?" Blake asked.

"Yes; ask for a meeting ASAP in thirty minutes," Weiss said tapping away on her keyboard.

Yang sat on Ruby's bunk. _Man I miss her…_

"Yang?" Weiss said tearing her eyes from the screen of codes.

"Hm?"

"Even though we aren't physically there with her; we are here for her. If it wasn't for us she wouldn't be sailing through this already. If she was hurt, she would've told us too. She won't hide things to make us feel better."

"We are just a small help."

Blake frowned.

"Roman and Neo are the ones really helping her."

"Yang…"

"Don't. I regret not going. I regret that my eagerness died that day with Mercury faking that leg injury."

"That was two years ago!" Blake cried.

"Yea I know but it still haunts me!"

Weiss looked into the screen sadly. It did haunt her; every night she had nightmares. Yang barely slept anymore unless she was with Junior or had Ruby here. Yang had begged them to keep quiet about it but Yang's grades were barely passing anymore.

"I have the location! I'll send them a ride and have them take Dust crystals too."

"Why?"

Weiss smiled at her girlfriend.

"Ruby's going to love fighting on icebergs in the middle of the water."


	13. The Ocean and Forgivness

The bullhead picked them up and began carrying them to body of water that was between Atlas and Mistral; the ride was two hours at high speed. Ruby grinned at the water below; she loved swimming and it was going to take a lot more than a sea dragon Grimm to stop her from something she loved. Roman didn't seem to mind the idea of going into the water but Neo was another story.

"What's wrong with Neo?" Ruby asked whispering so only Roman could hear her.

"She's afraid of the ocean. She had an incident a couple years ago and she hasn't got over it yet."

"Oh…" _Poor Neo._

Neo held out a book bag full of blue Dust crystals.

"Neo, I'll let you shoot the crystals off and stay in here until we kill Flasher ok? We got this and you can do the next one with me ok?" Ruby said smiling.

Neo nodded in agreement; she gave Ruby a kiss on the cheek wiping away tears.

"You know I don't quite understand why they even name these damn things."

Neo smacked her forehead rolling her eyes and signed: **_It's because they're so powerful. It's to honor them even if they are man-made creatures they are still part of nature. Very few hunters and huntresses honor their fallen foes. They are always part of us and they are what made us stronger. We must honor them as we defeat them._**

"Well excuse me," Roman said.

"She's right though."

Roman rolled his eyes.

Ruby threw three crystals out and Neo fired blowing them up before they hit the water causing ice chunks to form on the surface. Ruby jumped out, barely landing on her feet as she slid laughing.

"Neo are you going to be ok?" Roman asked.

Neo nodded.

"Come here," he said holding his arms out to her. Neo ran into his arms burying her face into his chest sniffing. He hugged her tightly.

"We'll be ok and we'll make it out of this alive. Watch closely you might learn something," Roman said giving her a cocky smile and winking at her.

Neo smiled and rolled her eyes.

Roman jumped out sliding across the ice and Ruby laughing at him as she helped steady himself on his feet. Neo finished off the rest of the Dust crystals. Neo sat down as the bullhead hoovered higher to avoid the battle field below. Ruby and Roman took a spot in the middle of the mini ice bergs waiting…

After thirty minutes of waiting Roman was first to spot the Grimm. He squinted thinking he saw the ice move but he wasn't sure but then the ice berg they were standing on vibrated slightly.

"Ruby, just ahead is the Grimm!" he yelled.

Ruby positioned her scythe blade down and began firing sniper rounds into the water making sure she avoided the ice they were standing on. Roman waited for the Grimm to surface in front of them but it never did; it shot out of the water going after the bullhead. Neo jumped back and threw the bag at the pilot making him jerk the bullhead out of the way. Neo held onto the seat as her parasol slid out of the bullhead.

Roman saw the parasol dropping down towards the water and started hopping the ice to get her weapon. Ruby gawked at the Grimm. For some odd reason its armor was red not the blue she was expecting. Roman pulled both weapons and started firing at Flasher as Ruby charged in hopping as fast as she could.

Neo's poor heart hammered in her chest making the Grimm come after the bullhead again. It was really attracted to her fear making her and the pilot a target. Ruby ran up the scaly body and tried cutting its throat but its hide was too thick. Flasher roared in Neo's face making her drop to her knees in fear. She heard nothing not even Ruby's pleas telling her to jump out.

It wasn't the Grimm she feared; it was the ocean. She had no place to run except the thin ice bergs below. Her chest began to hurt making her breathing uneven; she was having a full blown panic attack. Ruby tried screaming but nothing could get through to her because she was gripped by fear.

Ruby placed her scythe under its jaw and started firing jerking its head back. The giant Grimm roared again trying to kill Ruby. Roman pulled out Neo's sword and jumped into the water looking for a weak spot. He frantically looked around when he saw a fin. _Of course it's in the sea and it would have a fin…_ he thought sarcastically.

Roman grabbed the fin and sliced through it. The Grimm roared again sending vibrations into the water. He swam up, climbing onto the ice berg nearby. Ruby was still having problems trying to cut through the scales; nothing was working.

"Damnit!" Ruby screamed.

Roman stopped and looked at her. _Someone is pissed…_

Ruby ran back up the sea dragon but she wasn't aiming for the Grimm; she fired a shot into the metal by Neo's leg snapping her out of her trance.

"Red! The Grimm is this way!" he said pointing at the sea dragon angrily.

"I know you're scared but we need help! The sun will be setting soon and we will be at a disadvantage! I'm not asking you to get out but you have to help us think! Come on Neo!" Ruby screamed frustrated.

The Grimm twitched looking back at Roman and headed for him this time.

"Come you fucker!" Roman bellowed.

Ruby slammed into one of the ice bergs cracking it.

"Ahhhh!" she cried out in agony.

She looked up and saw Neo pointing to her eyes and sliding her finger back.

Ruby sat up giving her a thumbs up.

"Roman!" Ruby screamed.

"What fearless leader?!" he yelled.

"Really?! NOW?!"

"Just tell me Red!"

Ruby hopped across the ice as fast as she could to get to Roman's side.

"What's the plan?" Roman asked as Flasher went back into the water.

"Neo said go for the eyes. You use my scythe and I'll hold onto you to use my semblance to make sure we rip through the eye and scales. I think because of the color of the armor it will explode into flames. Sign to Neo to tell the pilot and take off and have her use her semblance to teleport use back onto the bullhead."

Flasher emerged growling and shot at them as full speed.

Roman jumped out of the way.

"NEO!" he yelled getting her attention.

He signed to her the directions Ruby gave and went to Ruby's side as she attacked Flasher again. Neo looked down and saw her parasol floating with Roman's cane. She closed her eyes and teleported to the ice berg watching for her time to get her friends. She focused on them instead of the ocean gaining confidence and strength.

Roman grabbed Ruby's oversized weapon and nodded to her. She put her arms around his waist holding on tightly as she used her speed. Roman slammed the scythe into its eye but the Grimm's reaction was too slow for them as they ripped through the head and half the body landing on an ice berg.

Neo appeared bowing grabbing their hands and they reappeared in the bullhead. The Grimm started to explode into giant red Dust crystals, its roars filling the air. Neo pulled out her parasol opening it and firing at the emerging Dust crystals setting them off. Roman threw them against the wall as the explosion rocked the bullhead.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ruby and Roman yelled.

"Yall right back there!" the pilot yelled as he steadied the aircraft.

"Yes…" Ruby said weakly.

"I got a message from RUBY!" Weiss screamed waking them up out of their sleep.

"WEISS!" Yang bellowed.

"Sorry! They made it through the Grimm in the water! They are taking a break back in Atlas in the woods," Weiss said as she began messaging her friend back.

"Well, it's time to meet Ozpin anyways. Time to go upstairs," Blake said yawning.

None of them bothered putting regular clothes on; they had to meet Ozpin often at night so he was pretty use to them entering his office in pajamas. One-time Yang even went in her underwear and a t-shirt not caring what anyone thought. They rode the elevator up in silence all them grumpy from being tired. The elevator opened and there was Ozpin in his sleeping clothes drinking coffee.

Yang laughed making Ozpin smile.

"You three ladies always show up looking like that so I thought why not and join the party?" he said shrugging.

"That's very unusual of you," Weiss said smiling.

"Well what did you three need from me?" Ozpin asked taking a seat.

"We want you to talk to Ruby about quitting her missions for a while so she can rest," Yang started.

"We all agreed this isn't good for Ruby and her mindset. We all know she's still upset over Penny from the attack by Cinder. We've noticed she started taking special medicine so she could block out the nightmares she kept having. Ruby needs time off from everything and time to become herself again," Weiss said.

"We even talked to team JNPR and they agree with us. She's forcing through homework, essays, exams and missions without a break. We are aware that she is passing her classes but we can tell the strain on her. We realize Qrow was the one who thought she was ok to do this but she isn't," Blake added in.

"Can't you tell her to stop?" Yang pleaded.

"I already tried."

"What?" WBY said.

"I tried a week after she had started but she didn't want to hear it. Glynda is the one who gave her the medicine to help her sleep at night. One day she stopped seeing Glynda and she hasn't complained of a nightmare since then. Her missions stop her from dreaming about Penny because she's too tired," Ozpin stated lifting his cup for a drink.

"So you'll do nothing?!" Yang cried.

"I can't do anything. She's in high demand and she won't say no."

Weiss crossed her arms and turned around stomping out.

"Miss Schnee I'm not done."

"Then what?" she snapped.

"Ironwood messaged me letting me know RNR took out three while CVFY have taken down two themselves but they are all in the hospital. I'll be sure to excuse you and the rest of team Ruby so you can go question them for information for Ruby to use. Get some rest ladies," he said standing up.

"Yea sure," Weiss said flatly and they left back to their dorm.

Ruby was sitting against a tree while Neo was curled up with her hood; she looked so much like a little kid it was cute to see. She looked over at her ginger boyfriend who looked disgruntled about something. She picked up a pebble and threw it at him making him look up and glare at her.

Ruby got up and plopped down into his lap looking into his eyes.

"What's wrong Roman?" she asked quietly.

"It's nothing,"

"Roman please tell me."

He gave her a pathetic look and shook his head.

"What did I do?" she whispered.

"Red, do you really love doing these missions?"

She was taken back by the question.

"O-of course."

"Wow that was so convincing," he said rolling his eyes but Ruby didn't say anything.

They sat there for a minute before she opened her mouth to speak.

"I've been on a lot of missions because I can't sleep without getting a nightmare. Some part of me has been scarred since Cinder's attack on Vale and I can't make it go away. Professor Goodwitch gave me some special medicine to help them but it was barely working; she kept trying different things for me but nothing worked. She told me lots of hunters have nightmares and its rather common but I lied so everyone would stop worrying. The nightmares or really vivid sometimes and I wake up crying," she said quietly.

"Red that's not healthy."

Ruby gave him a sheepish grin.

"No it's not."

"What are the nightmares about?" he asked holding her tightly.

"They really aren't nightmares… It's like I keep reliving a moment in time. No one knew Cinder had rebuilt Penny and reprogramed her; I had to fight her…"

Roman felt his heart drop. He remembered who Penny was; the annoying one from the docks with all the swords. Cinder had said something about some special robot but he never really paid attention but he didn't think it was the orange haired girl. She acted so kind, the idea of her being murderous was… odd?

Ruby's face suddenly became dark; he couldn't read what she was thinking about now.

 _In all that time I put on a smile to throw everyone off but inside I was breaking. I was breaking and I came to the point where ending it was ok with me regardless of what anyone else thought. I guess I got lucky with Uncle Qrow showed up when I was about to do it. He never once called me a coward but he knew how much I hurt. He gave me something to look forward to and then I ignored the feelings… The loneliness and … Penny._

Ruby started crying startling Roman.

"No one knows what it's like to be pitted against one of your friends and almost dying in the process! All I wanted to do was save Penny and save everyone else and I failed to do that! What did saving everyone mean if I couldn't save my friend? I was so broken and so ashamed I couldn't tell anyone! She was still someone even if she was built and made of metal; she was my friend and I loved her so much so I dealt with it the way I only could!" Ruby cried.

She looked into Roman's sad green eyes torn at the seams. Ruby was tormented twenty-four hours a day while she was awake or she slept.

"Ruby, why don't you make peace with Penny in your dreams?" Roman asked.

"Huh?"

"You can make peace with Penny in your dreams. It's called lucid dreaming."

Ruby just blinked in confusion.

"Basically you are aware you're dreaming and you can control your dreams. You can go back and redo your fight with Penny and apologize to her and make peace with yourself."

"I can… can do that?" Ruby asked extremely interested.

"You keep thinking about Penny every night before you go to sleep every night until you resolve your problem."

"That sounds too easy," Ruby said wrinkling her nose.

"I don't I have never done it but I heard it doesn't really work on the first try. Sometimes it takes several times before you can do it. Cinder Fall is dead and yet you're allowing her to rule over you still until this day. You are the one giving her the power to control you and she even walk among the living."

Ruby covered her mouth.

"There's no shame in pain; you're human," Roman said.

She looked down at the ground.

"Look at me," he whispered.

Ruby tilted her head up to receive a passionate kiss unlike she had ever had. She moaned softly and pushed herself against him. He folded her corset down and caressed her breast making her moan louder. He looked into her eyes and saw it: she wanted him.

"I promise when we get home I'll give you everything you want Ruby," Roman whispered into her ear.

"I love you Roman," she said before kissing him again.

 _"_ _I won't let you destroy Vale, Penny! You're my friend, please snap out of it!" Ruby cried out._

 _"_ _I am not your friend," Penny said glaring at her._

 _"_ _Penny, you helped me at the docks; why can't you remember that?!"_

 _Penny took a step forward and all her sword came out. Ruby backed up trembling in fear; she knew what Penny was capable of and it scared her. She didn't want to fight her friend; she wanted her to help her defend Vale against Cinder. She needed her friend to come to her senses!_

 _"_ _Please Penny!"_

 _"_ _I AM NOT YOUR FRIEND RUBY ROSE! YOU ARE THE ENEMY AND MY CREATOR IS CINDER FALL!" she screamed as she charged towards Ruby._

 _"_ _NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ruby screamed as she blocked Penny's attack with Crescent Rose._

 _"_ _I will not fall for your tricks," she whispered her voice dark._

 _"_ _It isn't a trick; if it wasn't true I wouldn't be telling you!"_

 _"_ _I know! You've told me over a hundred times!" Penny screeched._

 _Ruby blinked._

 _"_ _I have?"_

 _Penny back flipped and charged again._

 _"_ _This is my dream."_

 _"_ _I'll end you!" Penny screamed._

 _"_ _NOOOOO! I will end this nightmare!" Ruby screamed._

 _"_ _YOU CAN'T BECAUSE YOU FAILED!"_

 _Penny's sword cut her arm open blood splattering everywhere. Ruby cried out in pain._

 _"_ _Do you think you can beat me when you can die so easily?" Penny asked harshly._

 _Ruby started crying._

 _"_ _I can't that's why I want you to remember how much you mean to me!"_

 _"_ _YOU'RE PATHEIC!"_

 _Ruby looked up and saw Roman standing there._

 _"_ _Red, remember this isn't real. You can keep trying until you get through and get it right. If it hurts wake up."_

 _"_ _Argghhh!" Penny growled charging again._

 _"_ _Wake up Ruby!"_

Ruby jerked awake to see Roman staring at her.

"Are you ok?!"

Ruby smiled. She did make some progress; Penny always broke into pieces at the end. She saw Neo staring at her holding out her hood. Ruby took her hood back smiling. She had accomplished a lot. The dream pain was very real to her; she did have one of Penny's swords cut her arm in reality making her arm hurt just thinking of her dream.

"Thank you Neo and yes I'm ok. I made some progress thank you for being there for me." Ruby said giving Roman a peck on the cheek.

"Huh?"

"You told me in my dream I can stop and keep trying until I get it right," she said smiling happily.

Neo arched an eyebrow at Roman.

Ruby pulled her scroll out and messaged Weiss for the next Grimm location. Neo looked at Ruby then back at Roman.

 ** _What happened while I was asleep?_**

"It's a long story. Maybe when Ruby's fixes her issues she'll tell you about it."

 ** _You always know how to make someone feel better. You really hate people but you are really good at talking to make people feel at ease. I love that about you. It makes me forget you're such an asshole sometimes._**

"Fuck you too Neo," Roman hissed.

Neo smiled.

 ** _You know I'm right that's why your face is turning pink!_**

"Quiet woman!"

"Hey guys can you stop; I can't hear Weiss. Apparently its important because she's yelling at me!" Ruby said grinning.

Roman and Neo heard Weiss's voice squeak through the scroll.

"Hey I heard that!"

Roman laughed.

"Ok go on Weiss."

Ruby was tapping her foot against the ground waiting for Weiss to stop rambling her instructions. Neo checked her parasol and then checked Roman's cane making sure everything was still working. Ruby twirled around and around until Weiss became silent.

"What?"

'Yang misses you.'

Ruby paused.

"I really miss her too."

'She's really torn up right now. She can barely pay attention in class.'

"I'm so sorry Weiss."

'Well you should be telling her that.'

"I can't right now but tell Yang I love her so much and I'll be home soon."

'You better come home alive understand? We don't need our leader dying on us.'

"I know Weiss."

'Are you sure you're ok Ruby?'

"Can I ask something of you?"

Weiss paused.

"Weiss?"

'Go ahead and ask Ruby.'

"If anything happens to me, I want you to take over."

'You're kidding!'

"No I'm not but if anything does happen… You know what to do. I got to go… Thank you for the coordinates."

'Bye Ruby be safe.'

Weiss hung up.

"Do you wanna know what the next target is?" Ruby asked.

"Do I really wanna know Red?"

"No… Probably not."


	14. Dark Truth

Just as a warning it gets a little dark at the end... I was wondering if I should do Roman and Neo's back story of where they came from or not... hmmmm

"REALLY?! A THREE HEADED CAT?!"

Neo covered her ears glaring at Roman for his outburst.

"It's just a cat Roman," Ruby said nonchalantly.

Neo nodded.

 ** _You really can't handle doing your own fighting can you?_**

"Shut up little Miss Ice Cream Cone; no one asked for your opinion!" Roman snapped.

Ruby gave Roman a dirty look.

"We are traveling to Mountain Glenn for this one. Apparently it doesn't like being around loud noises."

 ** _How bad can this be really? We already fought three battles and team CFVY took care of two of them for us._**

"She's right; how bad can this be?" Ruby asked shrugging.

"RED REMIND ME TO BEAT YOUR ASS LATER!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't know they would have spilt into three separate cats! I'm sorry!" Ruby cried out as she beheaded one of the cat like Grimm.

Neo finished off her cat too; all that was left was the one Roman was riding around like a horse.

Neo signed to Ruby.

"Neo says you better hurry up because we are already done. She said you're making yourself look like a weak ass bitch."

Neo gave her a thumbs up smiling.

"NEOOOO!"

"I'm so proud of myself; my understanding of signing has gotten a lot better lately," Ruby said hugging Neo.

"Arggghhhhhhhhhh!"

The cat flung Roman into the air and he landed in the window of one of the abandoned buildings. Both girls covered their faces in embarrassment.

"You could help me instead of looking like I destroyed your social status! PLEASE!"

Ruby sighed and pulled out her weapon. She began firing sniper rounds at the cat making it hiss at her. Neo performed her illusion semblance and the cat hit the illusion shattering it. Ruby and Neo appeared above it slicing the Grimm into three pieces. Roman sat down on the ground out of breath.

"Are you ok Roman?" Ruby asked sincerely.

"I don't I really don't see how you can do this constantly. Fighting people isn't that hard; fighting Grimm is."

Ruby frowned.

"People are scarier to me than Grimm."

"How is that so?" Roman spat.

"People know what's wrong and right but they chose to do what is wrong on their own. A Grimm does what's natural to them even if it seems wrong to us. How a person is can be based off nurture not nature. It isn't in us to kill and harm others but we chose too. So who's really the bad guy here?" Ruby asked, tapping her head.

Neo patted her back, nodding in agreement.

"Did I miss the part where you two became so smart?" Roman asked grinning.

"Hey! I was always smart!"

Neo smiled twirling her parasol around.

"Well let me call Weiss and see what's up next," Ruby said as she picked up her scroll.

Before Ruby could press a button Weiss began calling her.

"Leader of RNR speaking how can I help yooouuu," said Ruby making weird faces.

'Ruby where are you guys?'

"Mountain Glenn, you know that Weiss!"

'Do not, I mean it do not go back to Atlas!'

"Why Weiss? We have a mission to complete!" Ruby insisted.

'I don't know why or how but the other five Grimm were eliminated to just one in the last hour. I didn't count Cleo because you guys were already battling it but the other five; something strange has happened. It's in Atlas and there's a strong energy coming from there. Please for once listen to me!'

"Weiss we have to finish this because it looks bad on me for school."

'Who gives a shit about school when your life is in danger?! Have some common sense for once and listen to me! Giant Grimm just don't disappear without a cause; I don't even think Atlas has anything to do with. I called Winter and she said she had no idea; she said General Ironwood looked scared when he heard the news…'

"Weiss…"

'Ruby if you care about anyone at all-

"That's why I'm here doing this now! It's because I care!"

'Ruby I know you feel alone and you are still hurting from Mercury hurting Penny but you-

"I told you I don't wanna talk about that! That has nothing to do with this!" Ruby screamed.

Neo and Roman exchanged concerned looks.

'I don't care! You did what you could and you can't continue blaming yourself for the things that happened. That was a bad time in our lives but you have to move past that and think about your future! What about Roman and Neo; what will happen to them if you die trying so hard?'

"Weiss, I'll talk to you after we complete the mission we have at hand."

'Damnit Ruby! You don't get it do you?!'

Ruby wasn't listening to her anymore; she was staring at her boyfriend and her friend.

What would they do without her? She never thought of that; she never had someone depend on her so much. Even if she died Yang would still have Blake and Weiss and her boyfriend she never met… Roman and Neo had no one to believe in them because they were once criminals.

'Ruby damnit I know you're still on there! I can hear your breathing!'

"Weiss?"

'Yea…'

"Let me finish this and I'll start taking missions only two weeks instead of three but you have to let me finish."

Weiss became quiet.

'You want to do one last big one?'

"Not my last ever but for a little while. Don't breathe a word to Yang ok?"

'Yes Ruby, team leader of RNR and RWBY.'

Ruby smiled.

"Over and out Ice Queen."

'Funny! Haha not. When you reach Atlas… message me. I'm sending a Bullhead over to you now.'

"Thank you. Bye Weiss."

Ruby looked at her friends.

"I think after this one I'm going to take a break for a while. Are you ok with that?" Ruby asked almost whispering.

Neo signed: **_Even the nicest people in the world needs a break. The world has a lot of fighters, even though you so happen to be one of the best ones out there. Remnant will be ok; consider it an earned vacation. I think Roman needs one already too. I wouldn't mind having another slumber party soon._**

Roman glared at Neo.

Instead of going straight to Atlas they went to Vacuo to stay the night in a hotel room. Neo was quite glad to take a bubble bath and sleep in a bed. Ruby stripped down to her undies and bra throwing everything in the corner. She laid on the bed relaxing forgetting that Roman was there for minute.

"Red, really?"

"Sorry I kinda forgot you were here. I really needed to do this," she said giving a sheepish grin.

Roman laid beside her in the bed giving her a kiss.

"I just wish we were back at the apartment though," Roman said.

"Why?"

"The whole apartment smells like you. Roses and strawberries the best scents I've ever smelled together. I miss waiting for you to come home from school and even when Neo torments the shit out of me. There is one thing I want to be different when we go back."

"What's that?" Ruby asked batting her eyelashes.

"I want the happy Ruby Rose. Not the one that pretends to be happy to please everyone. You deserve to happy for yourself and of the things you've done. You may say you didn't do anything but everything you've done lately has impacted everyone. I'm proud of you even if I wasn't with you when you did it."

Ruby sat up. Roman watched Neo as she came out of the bathroom in her underwear and bra too. She grinned at him and jumped on the bed.

"What I did was nothing compared to what you two did," Ruby whispered.

"Oh really? I'm sorry about the Dust truly-

"It wasn't about the Dust."

Neo looked at Roman.

"Weiss had hacked the Atlas database and sent me the files to watch and read. They filmed you two when you gave Cinder up. You two gave up your own security to save Vale. You both said you didn't want Vale to succumb to the Grimm because you were better than that."

Roman glared at Ruby.

"Do you know how-

"I know. You two were sworn to secrecy so Atlas would look good."

Neo hung her head in shame.

"I had seen the file months ago but that wasn't why I approached you two in the first place; you needed help. I feel that what you have done impacted how I went about things. If it wasn't for you two, I probably wouldn't be doing this very mission. I know by doing what you did you got to be free. That wasn't fair."

"Let's just go shower Ruby," Roman said getting up.

Neo watched as the couple left for the bathroom so she laid on the bed looking at the ceiling. She thought about the first time she truly felt free.

 _"_ _You're considering this? Really, now of all times?" Roman hissed._

 _Neo nodded._

 _"_ _What if they don't get her psycho ass? She'll be after us!"_

 _Neo glared at him and signed: Then let her come at me. I'll help them get her. I can't sit here while thousands of people get hurt and I don't enjoy rotting in a cell. You did for how long already and you're doing it again?_

 _"_ _Shit Neo…" Roman trailed off._

 _Neo stood up in the cell staring Roman down. She decision was final, well at least for herself._

 _"_ _Neo why?" he asked._

 _Neo signed: We might be the bad guys but it doesn't mean we are all the same. I don't want to see people or killed for that matter; all we wanted was money. Stealing is one thing but killing… I can't do that. That demonic woman showed up in time and stopped me… I was so glad I had a reason to run, but this time I'm not running. I refuse to be lumped in with some stupid bitch._

 _Roman stared into her pink and brown eyes; she was serious._

 _"_ _You're going to do it no matter I decide?" he asked._

 _Neo nodded making him smile._

 _"_ _You never were a follower."_

 _Neo signed: I'll take whatever society dishes out to me I don't care. I can be hated and cursed upon but I refuse to stand behind someone who wants to kill others to rise to power. Atlas doesn't have much pull after everything but this is our only chance and I'll be sure to give them all the information they ask for._

 _Roman grinned, "I'll stand with you then. I particularly don't like the idea of Cinder ruling the world. You're also one of my best friends and obviously the smartest one too."_

 _Neo smiled and held out her hand. Roman grabbed it and stood up the best he could while she tapped on the door lightly. The cell opened up and they stepped out holding hands determined to stop Cinder's madness and chaos she brought upon the world._

 _"_ _You two know what you want?" General Ironwood asked; he was so sure they'd defend their boss until the end._

 _Neo nodded and signed for Roman to translate._

 _"_ _I Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan will give up Cinder and even in her capture for our freedom into Remnant. We won't keep anything from you as long we walk free."_

 _Ozpin was leaning in the doorway with Winter._

 _"_ _Really? Why?" the general asked sounding lost; he wasn't even if he heard them right._

 _Neo started signing and Ozpin translated for her._

 _"_ _We might be one of your bad guys but aren't like the others. Vale is our home and we want to defend it. The idea wasn't for people to get hurt, just so we could live comfortably. Cinder has been…. Out of her mind lately. She has spun things out of control and now it's only about her."_

 _Neo smiled at him._

 _"_ _I guess not every bad guy has the same beliefs or morals as others do," Winter said._

 _"_ _No we don't," Roman said._

 _"_ _Neo, you aren't too old to join my academy. If you want you can come in the next year and get started if you want," Ozpin offered drinking his coffee._

 _Roman raised his eyebrows in surprise._

 _Neo smiled signing: I can't though but thank you. I have to stick to Roman; he's my best friend._

 _"_ _Would you guys liked to get cleaned up?" Winter asked._

 _Neo nodded furiously, grabbing Roman's hand._

 _Winter led them out of the room full of cells into a large hallway full of numerous doors. It took about ten minutes to get to a blue door with a silver handle. Neo looked at Roman who shrugged._

 _"_ _It's one big shower with fifteen shower heads but you can go one at a time" Neo held up her hand shook her head no._

 _Neo started stripping her clothes off in front of Roman and Winter both without hesitation. Winter just stared with her jaw open and Roman chuckled. She went it and turned on the water. She looked back at Roman and motioned for him to join her. Roman shrugged his shoulders and went in too._

 _"_ _Give us an hour. We haven't showered in a while and no I'm not fucking her. She's like my sister so relax."_

 _Winter stiffly nodded and closed the door._

 _Roman turned back around and saw that Neo was sliding around on the tile naked having a lot of fun. He grinned watching her as she silently giggled her hair plastered to her back. They really needed the break and some fun. To some people it may look really weird that they were completely comfortable being naked around each other but their relationship was strictly platonic. Roman never thought of Neo that way._

 _After twenty minutes of playing around Neo settled down and started washing her hair (twice) and rinsed it out. Roman had already finished up and he was sitting under the hot water relaxing. Neo walked over and tapped Roman on the shoulder making him look up to see her eyes completely brown for the first time ever._

 _Neo signed: You think we'll be ok?_

 _"_ _Of course Neo. We are doing what's best for us and everyone else."_

 _Neo signed: I've never done something that was so risky to save someone else before. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I feel great!_

 _"_ _I'm glad you do because I feel the same way."_

Neo smiled at the ceiling.

 _I'm glad we did what we did._

Three hours later Ruby still couldn't sleep. She sighed and sat up looking around. Neo wasn't in her bed which was odd. Ruby rubbed her eyes and reopened to see Neo in her face. Neo held a finger up to Ruby's lips and motioned for her to come with her on the hotel balcony of their room.

Neo shut the door and sat down, patting the chair in front of hers. Ruby sat down.

 ** _I want to talk,_** Neo signed.

"Ok, what about?"

Neo rubbed her arm nervously.

 ** _I heard you talking about your friend Penny with Weiss. The other night Roman was shaking you awake; I'm right in assuming you had a nightmare or a vivid dream?_**

Ruby nodded.

 ** _Tell me what happened._**

After an hour of explaining and some crying Ruby told her what had happened. Neo was holding Ruby's hand as Ruby wiped her tears away. The girls smiled at each other as they sat in silence in the night. Neo looked away tapping her chin.

 ** _I can tell you something but only if you promise not to mention it in front if Roman. It greatly upsets him._**

"Ok… Ok I promise," Ruby said sitting back ready to listen.

 ** _It was shortly after we decided to talk to General Ironwood about what we knew about Cinder when a lot of horrible stuff happened. Roman and I had gathered our stuff ready to go into battle against the White Fang and Cinder when we heard the general and one of his Atlas specialist having an argument about us. She was the one who picked us up; Winter Schnee._**

 **** ** _Apparently he didn't trust us but she did. They had gotten into so bad that Winter was about to resign her position when Roman had stopped their argument. Roman told them that we were against Cinder and no matter what we were going to stop Cinder and that his pathetic whining wasn't going to get us anywhere._**

 **** ** _Winter and some of her robot troops took us to where Cinder was hiding, but the place was like an underground maze full of paths. Winter took her troops one way and Roman went another… unwillingly. I was so sure I was going to be fine alone but I was very-very wrong. I went headed towards the bottom of the hideout looking for any of the three targets._**

 **** ** _Things were so dark and cold down there I could barely see a thing. I went into one of the large dirty rooms thinking maybe someone was hiding down there… He was… It was Mercury. He had been hiding there waiting for someone Atlas to walk in but instead he got me._**

Neo took a deep shaky breath breaking her eyes from Ruby's.

 **** ** _He physically was stronger than me. He threw me up against the walk almost knocking me out. I was a lot faster and I managed to hit him with a couple blows until he grabbed me throat forcing me into the wall. I had kicked and tried getting away; I wished I could scream but I couldn't._**

 **** ** _There I was… I was going to die in that basement by this jerk's hand when something worse had ended up happening. Mercury jerked my pants and boots of my body leaving me half naked in front of him. He pulled all his clothes off and forced me against the wall…_**

 **** ** _I was so scared; I wanted to scream for Roman's help. I hated myself in that moment because I couldn't speak up. I shook my head several times; crying trying to get him to stop, but he didn't. Next thing I know I felt a sharp pain and he was thrusting himself inside me._**

 **** ** _Mercury was raping me and I couldn't even stop him. I didn't want it and it was rape to me but to Mercury it was another thing. I was trying my best to be strong but then he… you know inside me and he began crying. Never in my life had I heard about a rapist cry to his victim._**

 ** _He said, "Neo, I love you and I know this is the end for all of this."_**

 ** _I couldn't even sign to tell him anything. I just stared into his dark sad eyes. He just cried into my shoulder for the longest time. You know what I did? I freaking hugged him and patted his back to reassure everything would be ok._**

Ruby had tears streaming down her face. Neo smiled sadly at the night sky.

 ** _It seemed like forever but I guess I was missing for two hours. Mercury had held me tighter when Roman finally found out where we were. Mercury had apologized to me for raping me and Roman heard him. He went into a frenzy screaming and attacking Mercury who barely stood a chance._**

 ** _The robots and Winter showed up and saw us. My thighs were covered in blood and I was pale as death. Winter handed over her coat and Roman wrapped me up carrying me out of the basement into the upper levels of the hideout. They had captured Cinder, Emerald and Mercury._**

 ** _I never seen Roman cry but when we had walked into the light I saw the tears streaming down his face. I knew it was guilt and anger he was feeling. I had always told Roman about how one day I would meet the person of my dreams and adopt kids and have a big house. It felt almost as that dream had been ruined._**

 ** _Even now I never mention it in front of him. That's why I reacted so badly the last night at the apartment. The flashbacks haunted me and Roman stayed there every step of the way; he guarded me from everything. That day you saw us in the alley we just finished a battle with some thugs and we won but you saw how worn down Roman was._**

Neo gently pulled at her hair looking at her feet.

 ** _A month after the incident, I went and saw Mercury alone. I heard his cocky mouth but when he saw me everything changed. Guilt filled his eyes; he was going to cry when he saw me. The guards left the room so I could talk to him about what had happened._**

 ** _He apologized over and over again. His reason for what he did was he knew I was giving Cinder up and he knew he didn't have much time with me and he wanted to make 'love' to me before he was sent to prison or executed. I know I shouldn't have been ok with the reason but I was. He never looked sad until that day in the basement._**

 ** _I told him that he could get out if he gave up any info he knew about Cinder but he just shook his head. I respected his decision. I did something… to set his mind at ease. I gave him a kiss on the lips; the kind of kiss that would mean everything to someone. He broke down again hugging me and crying._**

 ** _I mouthed the words 'I forgive you' to him shocking him to his core. I shouldn't have been so nice or so understanding but I was. I gave him one last kiss and I left that building for good. I sometimes get some bad dreams but it's ok. I made it through._**

"Wow…" Ruby said quietly.

 ** _The reason I'm telling you this is because you're allowing yourself to be controlled by your past. I settled it within myself and with him; I made peace with myself. I needed that inner peace. You need peace with yourself over what happened with Penny._**

"I can't."

Neo shook her head and slapped Ruby's hand.

"Ow!"

 **** ** _You allow these dreams to hurt your memories of Penny. You should remember her as who she was not what Cinder made her into. The problem isn't that Penny died. The problem is you don't forgive yourself; you hate yourself. Penny would've wanted you to be happy._**

Ruby started crying.

"How can I?!" she whispered.

 ** _Make peace with the tortured fifteen-year old Ruby. She's the one who needs consoling._**

"I…"

Neo smiled and mouthed, "We all need peace with ourselves. The fight to win is scary but it's worth it."


	15. At the End what will you do?

They woke up the next morning and boarded the bullhead towards Atlas again. Ruby glanced at Neo who sat happily there like nothing was wrong. Ruby was jealous that she could sit there and smile even after all the things that happened to her… Neo was right on some level; she needed to talk to her fifteen-year old self in a dream and let it go.

"Red are you ok?" Roman asked.

"Huh? Yea, I just didn't sleep good last night," Ruby said, which was true; she didn't.

"After this is all done we can go back to Vale and have a vacation from all the fighting. It'll be nice," he said smiling.

"Yes I can't wait," she said happily.

Roman leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "I still remember what you told me in the bathroom days ago."

Ruby's face turned scarlet.

"We'll be arriving in ten-minutes to Atlas," the pilot called back.

Ruby pulled out her scroll and messaged Weiss.

"Your friends sure are worried about you even though they didn't want to come with you," Roman said flatly.

"Hey they are still a big help from so far away ok!" Ruby snapped, looking offended.

Neo smacked Roman's leg really hard.

"Shit that hurt!"

Neo smacked him again.

"OK! I'm sorry!" he snapped.

They landed deeper in the dark woods of Atlas; which Roman thought was pretty shitty but they were looking for Grimm so it made sense. Neo hopped out and Ruby followed. Roman jumped out last scanning the area. Ruby looked at the ground as the bullhead took off again.

"There's blood here," Ruby said.

Neo bent over to look. Ruby was right and there was a lot of it.

"This isn't good."

Ruby messaged Weiss for a death count of Atlas human personnel they sent after the creatures.

"Red, maybe Weiss is right. This is very bad."

Ruby shook her head.

"We can't. Besides Atlas probably sent in barely trained hunters and we are literally professionals. Let's finish this so we can go home."

Neo nodded in agreement. Roman grabbed her shoulder and pulled her close.

"Neo… This place reeks of death…It reminds me of… Cinder."

Neo gulped and nodded.

After six hours of searching Ruby dropped onto the ground exhausted. She just laid in the grass looking at the sky. Apparently Neo felt the same way because sat down on the grass too. She opened her parasol opening it up to shield herself from the afternoon sun. Ruby scooted over to her side and laid her head on Neo's shoulder.

They rested for an hour eating some food Ruby had brought in her small Beacon backpack. Neo ate a couple snack cakes happily with chocolate all over her face. They were all laughing about it and having a good time but they had to get back up and continue on. They just finished packing everything up with they heard loud footsteps.

Neo pinpointed the sound and pulled her parasol out. Ruby started to pull Crescent Rose out the rustling stopped. Roman grabbed Ruby's hand.

"We need to go now, let's go."

"We need to see what it is-

"I don't care let's go!" Roman snapped.

Neo must've realized what he saw and she helped pull Ruby into the trees when they all heard the small innocent voice.

"Ruby?"

Ruby's heart stopped in her chest. She turned her head; her face pale.

"P-p-penny?"

But it wasn't Penny. She had a color scheme of black and dark green not the bright neon green Ruby had remembered. Roman and Neo had already noticed this and tried pulling her away again. Ruby broke free from their grip with tears filling her eyes.

(Back in the Beacon Dorm)

"WHAT?" Weiss screamed.

'I'm sorry I had no idea what he was trying to do. I think he discovered what they were trying to do.'

"DAMNIT WINTER!"

Weiss threw down her scroll and stood up running her fingers through her hair. Blake flinched when Weiss threw her chair. Blake had never seen Weiss so mad before… She hardly ever loses her cool.

"Weiss what's wrong?!" Blake whispered.

She turned to look at Blake with eyes full of tears.

"They found out… Ruby's in deep trouble."

"What do you mean? I thought we had this completely covered!" Blake cried out.

"I know and it's what he did to get rid of her which is the terrible part…" she trailed off.

"Weiss what happened?"

Weiss covered her face and started crying.

"They created a new Penny and they are sending it to kill Ruby."

(At Junior's Club)

"So your little sister is dating the notorious Roman Torchwick?" Junior teased.

"Yea… I just wanted to know if he was a good guy and everything. They've been together only a short while…" Yang said staring at her pop.

"Why didn't you ask me sooner?"

"Because I wasn't sure if it was going to be a thing. She took them on her dangerous mission we had told her no too, so she trusts him enough if she took him there."

Junior nodded.

"What do you want to know? I mean I've known Roman for a long time."

Yang tapped her chin.

"Is he ok? Like he's not abusive?" she asked.

"Naw… He's actually really nice. Neo is definitely a surprise in general. She makes him laugh and he respects her; she's one hell of a fighter and I heard what she did against you so it must be so. (Yang glared at him) He's not really a killer and he doesn't rape people. He's really against that…"

Yang smiled.

"He's really devoted to Neo though. They've seen some tough shit together. They've never had sex together so it's like they're brother and sister than anything. Neo always liked dancing here; she's pretty good actually and Roman brings her three times a week… well he used too. They went off the grid a year and a half ago."

"Oh ok… That makes me feel better."

Junior pulled her close and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"Melanie and Militia miss hanging with you on the weekends… It's been three weeks since you guys did something together," Junior said.

"I know. I had to argue with Weiss to come down here… I've been so wrapped up with worrying about Ruby I needed some alone time…"

Junior laughed.

"I told you we are waiting until we get married for that," he said, poking her side.

"You're a mean tease…" she said glaring at him.

"No, I just love you enough to wait. I was wondering when we were going to get married anyways? We've been together almost two years already…"

"My friends don't know that."

"Really Yang? You came in here fucked my stuff up and then after the Vytal festival you ask to date me. What's there to be embarrassed about?"

"Nothing… It was just Ruby has a boyfriend now and at the time she wouldn't have taken it so easily."

"You claim she's so innocent; is she really?" Junior asked laughing.

"Yea, she is," Yang said smiling.

(Team RNR)

"PENNY!" Ruby screamed running to her.

"Ruby you look so different!"

"You think so?" Ruby cried hugging her.

Roman pointed his cane at Penny,

"Move away from her Ruby," Roman warned glaring at Penny.

"I don't know who you are but that is not nice," Penny said.

Ruby looked at Roman.

"Red, now!"

"No it's Penny!"

"Red!"

"Penny, I'm so sorry for what I did… I tried my best to save you and I want to make everything ok now!"

"Come back with me back to Atlas Ruby. We can go to school together there."

"What? You don't want to go back to Beacon?" Ruby asked, blinking.

"What's Beacon?" Penny asked.

Ruby let go of her and backed away.

"How do you not know who I am?" Roman asked, shoving Ruby behind him.

Neo fired first and Penny blocked the attack with her hand, searing off the human like skin on her hand.

"Atlas battle program engage. Destroy targets Neopolitan, Roman Torchwick and Ruby Rose," said a strange computer voice.

The dark green on Penny's dress heated up to a red color and her eyes turned dark red. Roman pushed the girls back and fired at Penny this time. Penny charged at him with her swords (they were red and black this time) and he dodged all her attacks repeatedly. Roman knocked one into the ground and turned to Neo.

"Take her and go now Neo!"

Neo nodded and grabbed Ruby's hand.

"Roman! No!" Ruby screamed.

Neo jerked Ruby making her trip. Neo picked her up and ran off. Roman kicked off another one of her swords and looked back to make sure they were gone. He gave the robot a grim look. Now it was his turn to fight.

Neo pressed her finger up to Ruby's lips and pointed. They could still see Roman's fight with Penny but just barely.

 ** _That is not Penny. General Ironwood must've found out our real objective; he's using dirty tactics to take you out. He thinks by taking you out we can't hold our own without you and no one would believe us if we told them what happened here._**

 ** _You have no reason to worry about Roman. He's a fantastic fighter against other people just not Grimm. He has an eye to see the next attack and this should be a piece of cake for him. That's just a robot and he knows it's going to have repeated moves._**

"That's not really Penny."

 **** ** _No it's not; that's why Roman won't let you fight her. You already saw her destroyed once and then you had to fight her yourself. This right here would hurt you more even though you know that's not her. Let Roman do this… He kind of feels he hadn't helped any on his own and this is his way. He wants to show you what he can really do and he wants to protect you._**

Ruby looked back up to the fight before her. Neo wasn't lying, he was really good. He moved so quickly with his cane it was hard to see where he was blocking and hitting. Neo grabbed Ruby's work scroll and dialed Weiss's number and waited while it dialed.

'Neo! Is Ruby ok?!' Weiss cried.

Neo nodded and she began signing into the phone's screen.

 ** _Atlas created a crappy version of Penny to get Ruby but Roman is fighting her now. Ruby is watching the fight as we speak. What is the next Grimm? Where is it?_**

'Give me a second.'

Weiss sat down the phone and Neo could see the concentration on Weiss's face as she tapped away on the computer.

'It's ten miles away from you two. Why do you ask?'

 ** _But what is the next Grimm?_**

'Hmmm…"

Ruby watched on as Roman broke Penny's fifth sword. He was… truly amazing; it made Ruby forget the dirty trick that General Ironwood had tried. The robot looked frustrated as Roman broke number six. It started backing up and bumped into the tree behind it.

'It is a weird version of a King Taijitu. It's bigger and it's venomous.'

Neo covered her face.

'What's wrong?'

 ** _Why couldn't it be an easy one?_**

Ruby grabbed the scroll.

"Hey, Weiss!"

'Ruby are you ok?"

Roman knocked the robot into the ground and held his cane against its skull. The robot was acting weird almost like it was malfunctioning. It grabbed Roman's leg but couldn't pull it off its chest. Roman shook his head.

"I know you aren't the real Penny but I'm sorry for this."

Roman fired several rounds into the robot's head making it shut down and the metal melt down into the grass.

Ruby appeared out of nowhere leaving rose petals in her path knocking Roman off his feet. She hugged him crying; she was glad he was ok. He patted her back and saw that Neo was running back to them as well smiling. Roman sat up and hugged Ruby while she sat in his lap.

 ** _You did great Roman!_**

"Thank you Neo. Are we ready to do this shit before they send more robots?"

Neo nodded and helped Ruby to her feet.

"Where is the next one anyways?" Roman asked.

Neo pointed to the south.

 ** _There's a King Taijitu that way. It's bigger and venomous._**

"Of course it is," Roman said shaking his head.

Ruby looked at Roman.

"What?"

Ruby threw her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely. Neo blinked in surprise as her face turned red. Roman held her close and breathed out heavy when Ruby pulled away. Her silver eyes said something was a lot different than before about her; he liked what he saw.

"Let's go and do this!" he whispered into her ear.

Ruby grabbed Neo's waist and Roman's arm and used her semblance to get deeper into the forest giving Roman a break from his fight. Ruby skid to a stop letting her friends go. Neo's hair was all over the place but she had a wide smile on her face; Roman on the other hand looked a little sick.

"Give me a ten-minute break and I'll be ready again," she said as she plopped down.

(Beacon Dorm Room)

"Call Yang and then call Ozpin; we are having a meeting now ASAP and I don't give two shits what anyone is doing," Weiss ordered Blake handing her the scroll.

"Weiss, what's going on?" Blake asked hugging her trying to calm her nerves.

"Ironwood sent a crappy robot looking like Penny to exterminate Ruby. He wants to play dirty we will too. I got footage of the Penny from the woods. I hacked several of the cameras even through Ruby's jammer. That Penny had orders to kill them. We are going to Atlas and do our part."

Blake did as Weiss asked.

"Yang come home now"

'What?'

"It's important and I can't tell you why over the phone."

'On my way.'

Blake messaged Ozpin telling them they were going to meet in ten minutes. Weiss knocked on JNPR's door forgetting they were in class. She marched her way to their classes getting them for the meeting too. She was no fool; she knew how Atlas was and they needed help.

"Miss Schnee you can't just interrupt my class!" Professor Oobleck snapped.

"Listen Dr. Oobleck something big mission wise has come up and we need to meet with the headmaster and head out. Meet up in Ozpin's office now."

Jaune and Pyrrha looked at each other but went anyways.

WBY and JNPR entered Ozpin's office. Yang looked at her partner with a confused look but Blake just nodded to her. Nora looked the most excited about everything. Ozpin sat down his cup and looked over the seven people in his office with confusion.

"Miss Schnee didn't we already talk?"

"We did but something big has happened."

Weiss pulled out her scroll tablet and unlocked the file she had saved and handed it to him to watch. He hit the play button and watched the scene unfold before him. He frowned as Penny showed up on the scene. Ozpin watched the whole file and handed it back to Weiss.

"Shortly after that they are going after a King Taijitu that has been enhanced to be more dangerous. I think this is the time to leave within the next hour and storm Atlas. They have showed they can't be trusted and they'd kill a huntress they'd hire just to hide their secrets. Winter has given me all and any information to convict him of terrorism and remove him from his seat."

Ozpin looked in Weiss's fiery blue eyes. He smiled thinking about how she would do fairly well as a headmaster or even take Ironwood's spot. He sat back in his seat and pulled a drawer out on his desk. He pulled a silver paper out and slid it across the desk to Weiss.

"I want you to become the next headmaster of Atlas. We agreed the school and military should be separate. You and your sister work well together."

Weiss almost dropped her scroll tablet.

"What?"

"You showed you are fully capable to perform strenuous tasks with no problem. I think Miss Belladonna would agree with me."

Blake nodded and hugged Weiss.

"Of course I would wait until after you graduate," he said.

"Yes sir. I'll take it."

Ozpin smiled.

"I'll call Qrow to be your leader and call you a Bullhead. I hope Winter is ready," Ozpin said.

"She is ready sir."

"Ok then… Let's go then. You have twenty minutes."

They filed into the elevator excitedly looking at each other.

"Weiss, are you sure?" Ren asked.

"Yes. I haven't been just sitting at my desk for nothing."

"I'm glad we are going, I miss Ruby!" Yang cried slamming her fists together.

"Let's get there before Ironwood has the chance to do something stupid," Weiss said.

(Team RNR)

"I check hearing slithering and hissing but it is hard to tell where it's coming from," Roman whispered.

"I know. Either it doesn't see us a threat or it's playing with us; I can't decide which one. Neo can you tell?" Ruby asked her but Neo shook her head.

The ground started to shake violently causing them to panic. Out of the Woods came out a few kinds of Grimm running in a pack together. It looked like they were running from something because they passed the three fighters without giving them any attention. A regular King Taijitu came out but it passed them quickly.

"I don't like this anymore," Ruby said her face white as a ghost.

She was always able to keep calm but now something weird was really going on. Was that Grimm that dangerous the smaller ones would run away. Ruby spotted something out the corner of her eye and saw a black scaly thing moving through the trees. She pointed and tapped on Neo's shoulder.

Neo had already seen it too. The regular ones were hard to beat as it was but what they saw made it super massive. Weiss had said something about they could eat other Grimm. Did this one eat the other four and become that big? It was infused with Dust making it more lethal than it already was.

"Red, I hope you have a plan," Roman whispered.

"Um we battle until we win," she said; she wasn't even sure if they could anymore.

Neo pulled her parasol out and opened it. Big or not they had to take it down.

"Well we could do what worked on the sea Grimm."

"Hey that could work. We need to try it as soon as we have an opening and take it down," Roman said pointing his cane tip at the slithering body in the trees.

"I think we finally agree."

Neo nodded.

"Attack on three!"

Neo tapped her foot once.

"Two…" Roman said watching.

"THREE!"

They open fired on the Grimm making it hiss.

"Keep moving!" Ruby yelled.

The giant King Taijitu was taller than the trees. The white and black heads showed at one time hissing loudly almost hurting their ears. Neo kept firing at it but the bullets weren't doing any damage. She pulled out her sword and charged dodging the black head and slicing open its eye. Its head flailed throwing blood everywhere.

"Roman let's do it to the black one after Neo gets the other eye! Neo get the other eye and then hide the best you can ok?!" Ruby screamed.

Neo nodded and charged up at the other eye.

Roman fired Dust rounds into its face blinding it. Ruby attacked the white one stabbing the white ones under belly. They worked as fast as they could to take the giant down for good. Ruby was hoping this one would burst into Dust crystals but no such luck. Neo took out the other eye and hid in the trees.

Roman jumped to Ruby's side. She handed over Crescent Rose and held onto Roman's waist tight. Neo watched from the trees as Ruby used her semblance. They were a blur of red and white wrapping around the body of the Grimm. Blood splattered everywhere covering up nearby trees and grass.

Ruby and Roman skidded across the grass coming to a stop. He handed her the scythe back and pulled his cane out. Neo jumped out of the trees firing at the white snake head. The white snake avoided Neo and went straight for Ruby.

Before Ruby could react to the oncoming attack the snake sunk a fang into abdomen injecting venom into her body. Neo's forced raspy scream emerged from her throat scaring Roman. He turned around and saw what happened. He grabbed Ruby's weapon and cut off the snake's head.

Ruby broke the fang from the snake's mouth and pulled it, falling onto the ground. She held her stomach area. Luckily it wasn't a vital spot but she was still poisoned. She fell face first into the ground coughing up blood. Neo was coughing hard and threw up on the ground. Her throat hurt so bad she might just pass out.

Roman pulled off his coat shredding it to pieces and pressing it on her stomach.

"Ruby! Ruby talk to me!" Roman cried.

"I-I'm ok. Just keep pressing down," she whispered calmly.

Neo staggered over to her friends and dropped beside of Ruby. She had tears gushing out her eyes staining her face in sorrow. Ruby reached up and touched her face giving her a bloody weak smile. Neo buried face into the grass sobbing.

"Red, we… we are gonna get you some help ok?" Roman whispered.

"I know it… might not help but the venom is slow acting. It'll be three days or more before I… get sicker…" she trailed off looking at Roman.

"Baby, we are getting you help now," Roman said burying his face into her hair and started crying.


	16. Neo, Roman and Junior

"Weiss you need to calm down-

"I absolutely refuse to believe no Bullheads are coming! What bullshit is that?!" she screamed into the scroll.

Weiss threw the scroll across the room and it hit the wall and started ringing.

Blake picked the scroll and answered it.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Hello?"

The scroll buzzed and Blake looked at it.

"Oh hello Neo! What's up…" Blake asked and saw her red eyes.

Neo took her finger and dragged it over her eye.

"Oh you want to speak to Weiss?"

Neo nodded sadly.

"Weiss, it's Neo."

Weiss looked up from her computer.

"Give it here."

Blake kissed Weiss's forehead and handed her the scroll.

"What?" Weiss demanded.

Neo sniffed and began signing.

 ** _I don't know but that King Taijitu had some venom and it got Ruby and it's really really bad!_**

"What….?"

 ** _Give me an antidote or something I can give her to slow the poison. When are you guys getting here?_**

Weiss began signing not wanting Blake to hear her.

 ** _I don't know. I think Atlas blocked all aerial flights to the area and I can't get there. Wait… I can use Myrtenaster to create a pathway of ice across the ocean. I'll see what I can do. How… bad is it?_**

Neo paused and looked behind her then back at Weiss with tears in her eyes.

 ** _It is really bad…_**

Weiss's eyes began to tear up.

 ** _Let me see what I can. Stand by for a message. We'll set out shortly. Bye, Neo. Keep her safe please._**

Neo nodded and hung up.

Weiss stood up and walked over to Blake. Blake flinched a little making Weiss frown. She wrapped her arms around her and kissing her deeply, making Blake moan softly. Weiss put her forehead against Blake's and smiled.

"I love you Blake Belladonna. Are you with me for something crazy and stupid Ruby would've done it?" Weiss asked quietly.

Blake nodded.

Weiss told her the plan (she left out the part where Ruby might be dying) and Blake left to gather everyone with new instructions. Weiss messaged Winter but got no response. Weiss looked up poisons but found out the process was going to take too long. She covered her eyes trying to fight off tears.

(Back with Ruby)

Neo looked at the scroll.

 **Ruby is going to have to fight it off. There's no answer from Winter. Try using your aura and push it into her body and see if that helps in anyway. I'm at a loss I'm sorry Neo…. I'll let you know when we reach Atlas.**

Neo put down the scroll tears filling her eyes. She walked over to Roman and Ruby.

"What did Weiss say?" Roman asked.

Neo signed the message to Roman. He looked away trying to blink away tears.

"Ok then… Let's take turns so we don't kill ourselves in the process ok?" Roman said quietly.

Neo nodded.

She picked up Ruby's hand and she pushed her aura into her body. Roman moved the wrapping from her wound and watch as a little bit of purple fluid dripped out. Roman frowned and looked at Neo who was struggling. She almost started crying again.

"What's wrong?" Roman asked.

 ** _It's like the venom can reject aura or something. Wipe up the stuff coming out and I'll keep trying._**

Nighttime had fallen and Neo was sleeping in the grass while Roman took his turn with Ruby. He sat there stroking her hair while easing his aura into her body forcing a little of the venom out. It was unreal how much she had inside her…

"R-roman?" she whispered.

"Red, go back to sleep."

"I'm ok for right now…" she said softly.

"We are trying the best we can…"

"I know… Roman?" she said looking into his eyes.

"Yes Red?"

"Can you tell me about why you decided to be a criminal in the first place?"

Roman raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

Ruby smiled weakly.

"If this is my last day alive I want to know everything about you."

Roman kissed her lips.

"Ok Red."

 _Roman sat on the street curb watching his mother pack her stuff in her car. She had long red hair and it flipped out at the ends. She turned and looked back at him, her face was angry. He knew she was made because she got dumped again._

 _"_ _Aren't you coming with me?" she snapped._

 _"_ _No, not anymore."_

 _She stared at him in disbelief._

 _"_ _Excuse me?"_

 _"_ _Mom, I'm tired of moving all the time. Why can't we get jobs and get our own place?"_

 _"_ _Roman I was rich at one time until your father took all my money. I shouldn't have to work!" she cried out slamming the trunk._

 _"_ _Mom… That was five years ago; he's not coming back."_

 _"_ _Get in the car Roman!" she screamed._

 _"_ _No," he said standing up grabbing his book bag._

 _"_ _Really? You're gonna leave me too? What you think you can make it without me?!" she screamed._

 _"_ _Yes."_

 _Her face fell into sadness._

 _"_ _Fine."_

 _She got into her car and drove away. Roman walked down the street passing people who kept giving him weird looks. He didn't care; he was freed from his mother who always wanted to move around constantly. He didn't want to depend on her; he wanted to depend on himself._

 _After three days Roman still didn't miss his mother and she never came back to check on him. He slept under some of the big trees by a park when he was approached by a tall boy. Roman woke up startled by the boy staring at him. The tall boy had black hair and gray eyes staring at him._

 _"_ _What the fuck man?!" Roman growled._

 _"_ _Relax man. I heard your mama skipped out on you."_

 _Roman frowned._

 _"_ _So?"_

 _"_ _I have a building I'm turning into a club… You wanna stay there instead of out here?"_

 _"_ _I guess. Why are you being so nice?"_

 _The tall boy laughed._

 _"_ _Man I'm older than you; I'm supposed to be the mature one!"_

 _"_ _Roman."_

 _"_ _Hei, but you can call me Junior instead."_

 _After three months of being there Junior and Roman finished half the club when a young girl walked in. She had pink and brown hair. She looked about twelve years old. She smiled at Roman as she stood beside of him._

 _"_ _Sorry, we thought this was a club where we could sing at," said the lady with brown hair._

 _"_ _Ok," said Roman turning away._

 _The girl stopped in front of him and showed him her eyes. They switched between brown, pink and white._

 _"_ _What-_

 _She smiled and ran off with the woman._

 _"_ _Hei!" Roman called._

 _"_ _What?"_

 _"_ _That girl… her eyes… they changed!" Roman said excitedly._

 _"_ _Oh, it's probably her semblance then."_

 _Roman arched an eyebrow._

 _"_ _Semblance?"_

 _"_ _Yea. Hunters and huntress have them. People who have a semblance usually train to fight Grimm."_

 _"_ _I wonder if I have one."_

 _Junior laughed._

 _"_ _What? You haven't tried or done anything strange?"_

 _"_ _I don't know actually."_

 _"_ _Ok let's go outside."_

 _Junior put his hand on Roman's shoulder and closed his eyes. Roman felt himself grow warm._

 _"_ _You feel that?" Junior asked._

 _"_ _Yea what was it?!" Roman asked._

 _"_ _You tell me! You just got hot all the sudden!" Junior yelled._

 _Roman held out his hand and saw it was glowing fiery red._

 _"_ _Cool!"_

"So… what is your semblance?" Ruby asked.

Roman grinned.

"I don't use it often, but I can light fire up in my hands and throw fireballs."

"Wow, that's the coolest!" Ruby whispered happily.

"It definitely was," he said.

"I'm sorry about your mom," Ruby said.

"It's ok. I'm not bothered by it anymore."

"Keep going with your story!"

Roman grinned.

 _Several months went by when Roman discovered he could make fire with his hands alone. He became stealing from banks and Dust shops at night melting the doors away. He used all the money had got helping Junior build his club and they made weapons to suit them if they ever had to use them for a Grimm invasion._

 _"_ _A bazooka bat? Really?" Roman asked shaking his head._

 _"_ _Hey you got yourself a fucking cane; how is that scary?" Junior snapped._

 _"_ _I look cool! Just you wait and I'll have nice clothes to match them!"_

 _With Roman's help Junior was able to hire bodyguards and open his club. He conducted shady business when he could to keep money flowing in. Soon they were the top of the food chain. No one had caught on who was stealing and melting this down. They were an unstoppable duo and no one messed with them._

 _It was a year later when the same pink and brown haired girl walked in and sat at the bar asking for a pop and then she went to a booth to sit. Roman looked at her then at Junior who shrugged. He got up and went to sit with her to see why she was even there. She glanced at him when he sat across from her._

 _"_ _I remember you."_

 _The girl looked away._

 _"_ _What's wrong?" Roman asked._

 _The girl pointed to her throat and shook her head._

 _"_ _Oh, you can't talk now?"_

 _The girl nodded._

 _"_ _Ok, hold on then. I'll be right back!"_

 _The girl watched at Roman ran off behind the bar throwing things around. She scratched her head and went back to her glass of pop. She looked up when she heard arguing. The black haired guy shook his head and the Roman was waving his arms holding paper and pen._

 _Roman came running back and handed her notebook and pen._

 _"_ _There! We can talk now!" he said._

 _The girl smiled._

 _"_ _What's your name? I'm Roman Torchwick."_

 _-Neopolitan is my name but I go by Neo sometimes._

 _"_ _That's interesting, can I call you an ice cream cone?" he asked laughing._

 _-If you want too haha_

 _"_ _You were in here before but you could sing at the time?"_

 _-Yes. I had throat cancer and I lost my voice._

 _"_ _Damn I'm sorry."_

 _-Don't cuss its ugly._

 _Roman smirked._

 _"_ _Are you doing anything with yourself?" he asked._

 _Neo shook her head._

 _-I have nothing… I'm too young to be a huntress and I have nowhere to go._

 _"_ _I know how you feel. You want to stay with me in my room? Like not like that because you look more along the lines of my little sister than girlfriend material."_

 _-Hey one day I plan on having a big house, a husband and adopt some kids! That's my dream ten years from now!_

 _"_ _I like that."_

 _Neo smiled._

 _-How come you remember me for?_

 _"_ _Because of your eyes. They switched colors. Is that your semblance?"_

 _Neo frowned._

 _-What's a semblance?_

 _"_ _It's like a special power; see?"_

 _He opened his hand and a fireball grew in his hand. Neo clapped excitedly._

 _-That's so cool! So that's I do but it's not fireballs! I'll show you!_

 _Roman arched an eyebrow as she bowed looking at him. He frowned when nothing happened. He felt a tap on his shoulder; he turned and saw Neo behind him and in front of him. He just watched as she walked to the one of her bowing and she punched it shattering the illusion. Roman jumped and looked at her._

 _"_ _What the crap! Wow!"_

 _Neo bowed and smiled at him._

 _"_ _That was awesome Neo! Do you have a weapon?"_

 _Neo shook her head._

 _"_ _Man we are gonna have to get you one! If you wanna be a huntress and all!"_

 _Neo clapped._

 _"_ _You wanna doodle weapon creations on a piece of paper?"_

 _Neo took the pen and started writing._

 _-Why are you being so nice to me?_

 _"_ _Because. I saw you before and you were happy. This time you looked sad. You're too cute to be sad Neo!"_

 _-People make fun of me because I can't talk. I have no way of communicating to anyone unless I write it down._

 _"_ _That's so fucking stupid! You're fine just the way you are! You know what? We can see if we can sign up for sign language; someone should be at least teaching. We can get videos and books and try!" Roman said thrusting a fist into the air._

 _Junior walked up to the booth and scooted in beside Roman eyeing the two._

 _"_ _What's your name?"_

 _Neo wrote on the paper and held it up._

 _-Neopolitan but you can call me Neo._

 _"_ _Oh, so you're mute then?" Junior asked receiving a dirty look from Roman._

 _-I am now._

 _"_ _You don't know sign language it's not that hard to learn."_

 _"_ _Wait your dumbass knows how to do that?!" Roman yelled._

 _"_ _HEY! I might have henchmen but I do know some stuff! Is Neo your girl?"_

 _Roman's face heated up to a red color._

 _-No, he's my new big brother!_

 _Junior started laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. Roman's face filled annoyance and embarrassment._

 _"_ _That is good! Roman needs someone to care about him though."_

 _Neo smiled._

 _"_ _This is the girl with the different eye colors I told you about."_

 _Junior looked at Neo._

 _"_ _Really?!"_

 _Neo smiled changing her eye color multiple times._

 _"_ _Shit that is so cool!"_

 _Neo clapped._

 _"_ _How old are you Neo?" Junior asked._

 _-13 almost 14_

 _"_ _You're pretty young to be running around."_

 _Roman nodded in agreement. Neo covered her face._

 _"_ _What?" they asked in unison._

 _-My parents died two years ago and my caretaker died last year so I just… steal stuff to get by. I don't know what else to do._

 _"_ _Well Neo you're talking to professionals now! You won't have to worry about that anymore. We need you to get a weapon just in case too. What do you think Hei; is she in? You took me in when my mom left," Roman asked._

 _"_ _I'm ok with it as long as she is. Well since you're gonna be with us I'll teach you how to sign and my boys down there will too. It's effective to be sneaky sometimes. What kind of things can you do Neo?" Junior asked._

 _-I use to sing and I can dance._

 _"_ _See?! Dancing is just like fighting! You'll do just fine!"_

 _Neo jumped on the table hugging them both._

 _Within a month everyone at the club mastered sign language for Neo. Roman took her to a store and she picked out a beautiful pink and brown parasol and showed it to him. He had a laughing fit making her annoyed. She whacked him over the head._

 _"_ _Hey hey! I'm sorry! If that's what you wanna fight with then ok. Let's get it customized for you!" he cried rubbing his head._

 _Neo smiled happily as they paid for it and walked down to the weapon store. The man who fixed and made weapons laughed at Neo for what her request was pissing Roman off. Neo patted his arm and asked the guy on paper if he do it (offending him in the process). He huffed as Roman covered his mouth trying to stop himself from laughing._

 _"_ _You sure about this girl?" the man asked._

 _Neo nodded._

 _-I'll show how I use it in battle after you finish it in the park._

 _"_ _Alright you're on. I'll let you take on my son. He loves challenges."_

 _Roman looked at Neo like she was crazy._

 _"_ _Are you serious?! You haven't fought before!" Roman hissed into her ear but Neo grinned anyways._

 _Neo signed:_ _ **I can do it. Just watch me and bring Junior too.**_

 _The next day Neo, Roman, Hei and some of his henchmen showed up to see what Neo could do. The son came out of the back room and smirked when he saw Neo. He was almost six foot with brown hair and brown eyes. Neo was barely 4'4 at the time._

 _"_ _You think you can beat me? Dad already told me what your weapon is like," the boy sneered._

 _Neo signed for Roman to translate._

 _"_ _She says it doesn't matter; you're going down."_

 _The man and boy laughed._

 _"_ _Let's go to the park."_

 _They arrived at the park with everyone but Neo and the boy sitting on the benches and on the grass. Neo kicked off her flip flops and handed them to Roman. She pulled out her parasol and the boy pulled out a sword with a rocket launcher attached to it. He gave her the finger and Neo rolled her eyes._

 _"_ _One! Two! Three! GO!" the man yelled._

 _Neo stood still as the boy attacked. He slammed his rocket launcher into her side or so he thought and the illusion shattered. She appeared from above and delivered a hard whack to his side making him cry out in pain. He shot of a round and Neo dodged the explosion. She charged at him making him detach the sword and hold it up to defend himself but she stopped._

 _He looked around him and there were multiple illusions of Neo everywhere. The boy began to panic because he didn't know what to do so he fired off six explosive rounds. Roman and Junior stood up waiting for the smoke to clear; they didn't think Neo could survive that but she did. She had her parasol open; the canopy had protected her from the blast._

 _She jumped into the air shooting off multiple rounds and she landed behind casting another illusion. He yelled in frustration; she was too fast for him to land any blows. Neo appeared behind him; she grabbed his arm and picked him up throwing him into the air and he landed on his back. He just laid there confused to what just happened._

 _The man clapped._

 _"_ _Bravo Miss Neopolitan! I am so surprised you could win! I'm glad!"_

 _Neo helped the boy to his feet and shook his hand before she ran and jumped into Roman's arms._

 _"_ _You did good Neo!" he whispered into her bringing tears to her eyes._

Ruby smiled.

"You're such an awesome older brother," she said smiling.

Roman gave her a weak smile.

"Thank you Red. Get some sleep."

Ruby closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

An hour later Neo woke up and saw that Roman fell asleep. Ruby had a major bleed all over again. Neo shook Roman had his sleep and he gasped when he saw what had happened. Ruby was unresponsive panicking the both of them. They wiped away the venom that seeped out and covered her wound up again.

Neo was covered in Ruby's blood but Ruby was still breathing even though it was weak. Roman left them alone and went behind a tree to be alone and cry. He didn't want Ruby hearing him or Neo but Neo already knew. She held back the tears holding Ruby's head in her lap.

The next morning WBY and JNPR along with Ozpin and Qrow showed up to the ocean's edge. Weiss had brought a bag full of blue Dust crystals and a bag full of medical supplies. No one knew of Ruby's condition except Weiss. She started walking into the ocean when Qrow spoke up.

"Ruby is capable by herself and she has her team with her. We don't need to save her."

"We do this time," Weiss said holding back tears.

Yang glared at her uncle.

"Weiss is team leader until Ruby gets back and I agree with her."

"Only because you are Ruby's sister."

"Ok let's go! We are taking too long," Weiss snapped.

"Maybe we should wait; this is extremely dangerous," Pyrrha said.

"I agree. They didn't ask for help did they?" said Ren.

Weiss gave them the angriest look she could give.

"WE GO NOW!" she bellowed.

Everyone looked shocked to see her so angry.

"Weiss what's going on?" Yang asked quietly.

"Ruby is dying!"

There was silence. Even Qrow turned away from them to hide his face.

"That Grimm was venomous and she got bit by a giant sized King Taijitu! I stayed quiet because I believed we could make it in time! I found out after the Bullheads weren't coming!" Weiss screamed.

"What about Neo and Roman?" Blake asked.

"They're fine and they are using their aura to help Ruby the best they can."

Everyone became quiet.

"How long ago?" Ozpin asked.

"Six hours."

"Is she still….?" Yang asked trailing off.

"Here call Neo and ask."

Weiss threw Yang the scroll.

"I'll stand behind you and translate for you Miss Xiao Long."

Yang nodded weakly as she dialed the number.

Neo's face showed up on the screen.

"Oh my god your face!" Yang cried.

Neo looked away and signed.

"It's Ruby's blood," Ozpin said.

Neo nodded.

"Is she still alive?!" Yang asked her voice cracking.

Neo nodded and signed.

"They managed to pull some venom out but she started bleeding again. Roman had used his aura almost six hours forcing it out. He's tired right now."

Neo nodded and started crying again.

"I want to see her!" Yang cried.

Neo shook her head; her tears mingling with Ruby's blood on her face.

Yang glared at Neo.

"She's my sister!" Yang screamed.

Neo nodded and signed.

"It's… really bad. You won't wanna see; just get here however you can and help me. Roman is cracking and Ruby needs you guys. I'm doing the best I can. Her heart beat is still the same but her body is struggling against the effects of the venom. It's a slow moving one," Ozpin said.

Neo waved bye and the screen went blank.

Yang walked over to Weiss and hugged her almost squeezing the air out of her lungs.

"Did you come up with this?" Yang asked pointing to the ocean.

"Yes, it's what Ruby would do."

Yang laughed breaking the sad silence among everyone.

"Ok then. Let's get on with this!"

Neo sat there staring at the stars in the sky. She remembered when she'd lay in the park and stare almost all night at the stars. It made her feel better when she was lonely and sad. She wished that Ruby was looking at them too instead of being hurt. She looked back down at her friend's pale face.

Neo moved the wrapping off her wound and ripped up move of Roman's jacket as venom seeped out slowly wiping it up. The wound had gotten a little smaller and the bleeding had almost stopped. She recovered it and looked to where Roman was sitting. He had his legs against his chest and his head against his knees.

 _Poor Roman… He never had anyone to worry about and here he is broken. His first love laying here slowly dying. I guess it didn't hit him until right now when she started bleeding again. He never cared if he died because he was never tied to someone before._

Neo started crying again. Her heart hurt, it hurt for Ruby and it hurt for Roman. Even if Ruby would die she didn't regret meeting and going with her that day when Roman collapsed. If they never went Ruby would be dying alone and no one here so make it ok until the end. She didn't know if she could take someone else she loved to die in front of her.

 _Ruby hang on please. Please just stay alive; I know it's selfish but we need you. We need your love because no one else will help us. No one will love us. No one will show us how beautiful the world is even if everything is falling apart._

Neo wept silently; tears falling into Ruby's dirty and bloody hair.

"Yang, baby are you ok?" Junior asked.

He was sitting at the bar with Militia and Melanie.

'I need help!'

"With what?"

'Ruby's really hurt and possibly dying and we can't get a Bullhead to get to Atlas. Can you help us please? I can't… I can't be without Ruby, Junior. Please help us…'

"Baby calm down. I'll get you the help you need!"

'Ok-ok… We are heading across the ocean now using Dust. Please hurry.'

"Ok, I love you Yang; I'll be there."

'I-I love you too.'

Junior hung up and looked at the twins.

"Where's the key to my personal air ship?" he asked.

"It should be in your office in the lock box Roman got you," Melanie said.

"What's wrong with Yang?" Militia asked.

"Her sister is dying and there's no way to Atlas. While I get my keys get everyone out of here; we are leaving."

The twins nodded and started telling everyone they had to leave due to family emergency. Junior left his henchmen in charge and they went outside. Junior jumped onto the building ladder and started climbing and the twins followed. He pressed a blue button on his key ring and the roof opened up to reveal a smaller version of a Bullhead but it was big enough to fit ten people in.

Junior started up the engine and he hovered above the roof as he pressed the red button to close it. Militia and Melanie buckled themselves in as he flew trying to get out of the city before using high speed. He remembered Yang saying that they were going to travel by ocean to get there.

"Hang on girls," he said, sliding the lever to go faster through the air.


	17. Confession of Love

**I'm sorry I update so fast but I get really excited sometimes lol but i'm coming close to the end anyways and there should be a couple more chapters. Thank you to everyone who likes my story and I'm pretty proud since its my first one :)**

Roman woke up and stretched; his body ached from the position he slept in. He looked over and saw Neo still awake brushing Ruby's hair with her fingers. Neo's face was pale almost making it look like she was dead. They definitely never thought that something like this would happen. Roman felt his heart wrench at the thought of Ruby or Neo dying, but the only difference Ruby really was dying.

Neo tapped Ruby's arm lightly waking her up for a drink of water. Ruby started coughing causing some blood to pump out of her body all over her clothes. Neo covered her face trying to hide the tears. Ruby's body went limp and Neo checked her pulse… It was still there. She was pushing to stay alive.

Roman touched Neo's shoulder and she looked up.

"Do you need a break?" Roman asked softly offering to help her up.

Neo put Ruby's head down softly onto the grass and stood up. She jumped into Roman's arms crying hard. He fell into the tree his eyes tearing up. He knew Neo was hurt; she had few friends and none were as nice as Ruby. He was hurt… Ruby Rose melted the ice around his cold heart in the short time they were together.

"She's gonna make it ok?" Roman said squeezing Neo but he wasn't telling her; he was telling himself.

Neo smiled wiping away tears and blood off her face.

"I told her about me as a kid and when I met you."

Neo grinned.

 ** _You told her about how nice you were to me?_**

"Yes I did Neo," he said laughing.

They looked at each other.

 ** _I think I want to talk to her later. We… don't know how much time she has left and I want her to hear me._**

"But that's your last shot and it makes you sick!" Roman whispered.

 ** _It's worth it for my best friend. I can always get more and its ok for me to get sick; its only for a few days._**

"I think we need to move just in case Atlas shows up."

Neo nodded.

"I'll set the grass on fire in a few places and make it look like something happened to us to distract them. Does Red have any more crystals in her bag? I can shoot some ice off or something. Luckily for us we both use red Dust rounds and it'll look believable. We can leave some of the bloody rags here. You up to ripping some of the fabric off your jacket? I'll do some of Red's hood and we'll throw some stuff on the ground."

 ** _You are absolutely brilliant! I love you so much. Get to work and I'll get Ruby ready for you to carry._**

Roman got to work and Neo shredded some of her jacket and her shirt. All that money Ruby spent and here they destroying their clothes; the irony. She ripped her pants spreading out the fabric all over the place. She went over and used the rest of Roman's jacket to tie a piece of rag on and another press against Ruby's wound. She tightened everything up making Ruby moan in pain.

Neo patted her head and took some food out of the bag and threw it into the air firing off a round causing the noodles to blow up into pieces. After twenty minutes of staging everything Roman picked up Ruby as easily as he could but she still whined in pain anyways. They took off as fast as they could. Neo did her best at picking off any nearby Grimm so none would follow them.

They travelled for an hour before coming to stop by a small stream of water and a lot of bushes; they perfect place to hide. Neo pulled off her jacket and started ripping it off at the seams. She dipped it in the water and tried wiping off some of the dried blood off Ruby while Roman began feeding his aura into her body.

(Above the ocean)

Junior saw his girlfriend's flaming yellow hair from the distant slowing down his Bullhead. Melanie opened the hatch and fired a green flare round above the group. They all turned and Militia waved at them Yang started jumping up and down making the twins laugh. Junior pulled down hoovering just a bit.

"Can you make some ice thick enough for us to land and refuel please?" Melanie yelled over the deafening sound of the engines.

Weiss nodded and cast glyphs all over and set a football field sized iceberg a mile thick on the ocean for Junior to land. He killed the engines and stepped out.

"Alright this should take some time but don't worry; we'll get your little sister," Junior said kissing Yang quickly.

Weiss stared at Yang.

"This is my boyfriend," Yang said, grinning.

"Did anyone ask Roman how to approach Atlas without getting caught?" Junior asked.

Ozpin arched an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Ozpin asked.

"Roman's a mastermind criminal and he has a way to get passed defenses easily. I know Schnee over here can hack but can you do it without being seen? Stealth is not easy to do; that's what makes Neo and Roman a great tag team. Unfortunately, the pink illusionist isn't here to help either. You weren't really thinking about going in guns blazing were you?" Junior asked.

"Well shit Snowflake what's the plan?" Qrow asked.

"Jaune, come here," Weiss said.

They gathered together making a plan.

"When did she become a leader?" Qrow asked.

"Ruby left her in charge when she left and she actually does pretty well," Yang said.

Qrow raised an eyebrow at Yang.

"Who's the guy Yang?" Qrow asked eyeing Junior as he filled the tank.

"This is Junior," Yang said turning scarlet.

"How come I didn't know about this? I just found out about Ruby and Roman too; what the hell?" he asked.

Junior stepped up to Qrow holding out his hand.

"Sorry, I've told her to tell everyone but we've been together close to two years."

Blake looked at Yang shocked.

"What? I'm still a virgin!" Yang hissed.

Qrow started laughing.

"Really? That's hard to believe Yang!"

"He tells me no because he wants to wait until we're married," she said blushing.

"Not bad not bad. You have my blessing," Qrow said shaking Junior's hand.

"Alright everyone; quiet!" Weiss said standing in the middle.

"Me, Pyrrha, Ren and Nora will go along the ocean way once we get closer. Pyrrha will use polarity to move the Bullhead out of danger if it comes to that. Yang, Qrow and Ozpin will be the ones allowed to attack first when we land. Jaune, Melanie and Militia will take the rear. Blake and Junior will have the sides this way if anything comes our way we can eliminate the threat immediately. No killing of people or Faunus; only knock them out and destroy the robots," Weiss said drawing on the ice with her weapon.

"You think we can do this?" Yang asked.

"Of course."

Weiss looked at Qrow.

"Ruby is severely hurt. I want you to be the one to carry her back to the Bullhead and use your gun. No Yang; you're a close range fighter and you'll only get Ruby more hurt. When we pass everything on the beach up to the military building we'll have another plan ready ok? Ruby, Roman and Neo are still in the woods and I'm sure they're hiding after the Penny-stunt Ironwood pulled.

"I will be leader of my group of four. Ozpin will be the leader of the front and Jaune will be leader of the Rear. Blake and Junior will attack independently or assist in any way. Code word for help is cookies. Pyrrha will attack and use her semblance based on her judgement. If need be Nora and Ren will back up Junior. Pyrrha and I can back up Blake. Let's go," Weiss said.

Qrow nodded at Ozpin impressed.

"Damn you teach well," he said making Ozpin smile.

"All students grow on their own, we simply guide the way."

(Back at the Woods)

It was already going to be dusk and there was no sign of help or even a simple message. Roman carefully laid Ruby's head on the grass and tip toed to Neo to wake her up. Neo rubbed her eyes and sat up looking at Roman. He looked like shit; he hadn't used his semblance in a long time or even his aura for that matter. Helping Ruby was taking a big toll on him.

"I'm sorry, I don't feel all that great and I'm tired."

Neo nodded.

 ** _Eat some food and get some sleep Roman. I have this._**

Neo pulled a little black case out of her pocket and walked over to Ruby sitting down. She lifted Ruby's head carefully and put it in her lap. She opened the case and pulled out a tiny syringe. She gulped and pulled the plastic end off. She positioned the needle under her chin and jabbed her throat quickly injecting the gray and orange fluid into her voice box. She ripped some grass out of the ground from the sudden pain in her throat and she relaxed.

Ruby thought she could hear singing… It sounded so beautiful like an angel was singing… Did she die? She felt like she was alive; she felt like she hurt too. Maybe she was in heaven or something? Was she a ghost? Where was she?

She cracked her eyes open to see Neo's lips moving. She was the one singing.

"Neoooo," she said softly.

"Oh, you're awake," Neo said smiling.

"Did we die? Are we in heaven because you're talking…" Ruby asked.

Neo giggled.

"No. I used a special serum that brings my voice back but I'll be really sick afterwards for a couple days because of it."

"Why'd you use it then?" Ruby asked.

Neo's face became grim.

"I know we all hope for the best of everything but there's been no sign of help. I thought maybe if this was your last few days alive that you'd like to hear me. Roman had always told me I talk like I'm an angel or my voice could soothe a pack of Grimm. I thought maybe you'd feel better."

Ruby smiled tears running down her face.

"Your voice is so beautiful it matches you so well."

Neo grinned.

"Thank you Ruby. If you want, you can ask me anything."

Ruby smiled weakly.

"Are you guys ok?" Ruby asked.

Neo shook her head.

"Really Ruby? You're the one with a giant hole in your body and yet you are worried about us?" Neo asked raising her eyebrows.

Ruby giggled making Neo laugh. God her voice was so sweet.

"Neo," Ruby said craning her neck to look at her.

"Yes Ruby?"

"If you had been able to talk in the beginning of actually meeting me I don't think I would be with Roman," Ruby said turning pink.

"That's very flattering," Neo said her face turning red.

They stayed silent for a couple minutes.

Neo ran her fingers over Ruby's cheek.

"Can I tell you something?" Neo whispered.

"Anything."

Neo scratched her head turning pink.

"At first I was really wary about you in the alley but when you had trusted me so much even though I had done all those things I kind of fell for you. You made me happy and excited; I felt alive again. BUT I began to notice Roman was drawn to you so I backed down. Not a lot of people can stand him because of the way his personality is bur you didn't mind it at all.

"I know it was just puppy love attraction but I feel I'll hate myself if I don't get to say it. I know you may die but I love you no matter how you feel about me. There's another person who has caught my eye even though Roman would hate it even after what he had done. The way Roman looks at you is the way Mercury looks at me," Neo said her heart pounding.

"Wow," Ruby said.

"I'm sorry it sounds gross considering we are both girls…"

"No. It doesn't; Weiss had liked me for the longest time and I went on a couple dates with her but I just wasn't her type after all. She's happy with Blake which I'm happy for her," Ruby said grinning.

Neo grinned.

"I think even after what Mercury did and you forgive him then go for it but how are you going to convince him to give up information about Cinder?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know yet."

Ruby felt her eyes starting to droop.

"Can… you do me a favor Neo?"

"Anything Ruby anything for you my love."

"If I die… Change my name to Ruby Torchwick… Please? I feel kind of funny…"

"Ruby?!"

Ruby's head turned to the side and her body relaxed.

"RUBY!" Neo screamed.

Roman fell over startled from Neo's scream.

"What's wrong?!" he yelled stumbling to get beside them.

Roman checked her neck; her pulse was weaker than it was earlier.

"Neo tell me what we should do?" Roman pleaded.

"I don't know Roman…" Neo cried her eyes brimming with tears.

"Call Weiss and ask her what to do."

Neo just stared down at Ruby. She confessed her love but she didn't feel any better. She simply believed Ruby would make it through this because she was so strong but it was swinging the wrong way. She covered her face and wept into her hands loudly.

Roman jerked back in surprise.

"I'll do it… It's gonna be ok Neo!" Roman said fighting back the tears.

"I love her why does she have to die?" Neo screamed at him.

Roman jumped up startled by Neo's outburst.

"Neo what is going on?"

"She's dying and I'm going to lose someone else I care about! That's what's going on you idiot!"

Ruby's hands shot up grabbing Neo's face and pulled her lips to her kissing her softly.

"I'm… still here. I think I'm bleeding again…" Ruby said touching her abdomen.

Roman lit a fireball in his hand and saw she was definitely bleeding again.

"Damn it Red! Hang on!" he yelled shredding her hood some.

"Ro….man,,,"

"Yes?" he whispered.

"Take more venom out… It might be because of that… It makes my heart hurt some…. Or that's my feelings I can't tell the… difference…" Ruby said.

"Anything you ask," Roman said.

Ruby grabbed his hand and forced her aura into his arm.

"Wow…" he said.

"Feed it back into my body. I can't make it go to where I'm hurt…"

Ruby grabbed Neo's hand and started feeding aura into her too.

"Look… no fighting… I'm sure Weiss has a brilliant plan…"

(Brilliant plan not working)

"Weiss you should've thought they had boats!" Yang yelled.

"Well, it's time to get started," Weiss said looking at Ren, Nora and Pyrrha.

They nodded.

"Let me jump out first and I can summon my Giant Knight and he can create tracks of ice for us to walk on," Weiss said.

"How do you plan on doing that on water?" Qrow asked.

Weiss snorted, "You're an idiot. I can use glyphs in the air just like summoning. I learned some things on my own without your woman."

Yang whipped her head towards Qrow who gave them a guilty smile.

"I love angry women," he said shrugging.

Weiss jumped out summoning a glyph and started her summoning spell. The knight jumped into the water causing it to freeze to half a mile wide. It climbed out of the water and onto the ice as Weiss landed on its left shoulder. Pyrrha and Nora jumped out next then Ren.

"Pyrrha use your semblance and drag the boats into the iceberg as we make more area to walk on! Nora smash the boats and Ren attack the people or robots that's on them!"

Weiss pulled her scroll out and called Yang.

"Yang!"

"Yesssss?"

"I'll lead my knight up towards Atlas as long as I can just in case anymore boats show up and you guys will have to join the fight. I hope that's ok with you because I have no other ideas and I'm sure Jaune would've told me. Let's get this over with," Weiss said, hanging up.

"Charge!" Weiss yelled and the knight started running toward Atlas at high speed.

Pyrrha held up her hands and closed her eyes. Ten boats shot out of nowhere hitting the ice cracking it. The robots jumped out charging at them but Nora smashed half of them into the water and started slamming the boats into each other. Ren had no problem taking out the robots and throwing them into the water.

"NORA SMASH!"

All the boats sunk into the water and NPR moved forward following Weiss.

Weiss stood on the shoulder of her knight proudly her hair whipping in the cold ocean air. She saw a bullhead dropping robots off onto the ice her knight had made. She patted him and he disappeared. She smiled raising two fingers and thirty glyphs filled the air. She disappeared attacking from all angles destroying twenty robots in the process.

"Hey when did Ice Princess become so badass?" Qrow asked.

Yang and Blake laughed.

"She became that way after Ruby started getting a lot stronger than her. Ruby was knocking her on her ass all the time so finally it gave Weiss the strength to do the things she really wanted to do. She can hack and lead and kick some ass when she has the strength to destroy things in her path that meant harm for others. She's finally well-adjusted and can talk to people without insulting them… sometimes," Yang said smiling.

Blake laughed.

"I'm sure she's going to shove her sword up Ironwood's ass when she can," Yang said looking at Blake.

"I'll help her then," Qrow said grinning.

(Winter)

"You thought you could over throw me?" Ironwood said; twisting his sword into Winter's shoulder.

She gritted her teeth.

"There's more than just Ruby, Roman and Neo helping. There's an army after your ass."

"I'm so sure. No one is that stupid to come after me."

Winter arched an eyebrow. She watched Ironwood leave her in her cell. She reached into her shirt and pulled out a mini scroll. She messaged Ruby's secondary scroll and out the scroll make into her bra. She undid her hair pulling out a couple bobby pins.

 _You guys better hurry; he might kill me next time._

(Back with Ruby, Neo and Roman)

Neo picked up the scroll and saw the message: **_Pass on the message; he knows and I'm stuck in a cell. Tell Weiss to use her scroll for the Black In Trom program I sent her and download the Rose Fire Virus on the Atlas server._**

Neo forwarded the message hoping Weiss got it.

Neo stared at the couple. Her heart hurt… It pounded hard; she was angry. She was angry at Roman for having Ruby. She was spending her last moments with him like they have been together for years. He was stroking her hair and talking to her to keep her smiling. Neo's heart jumped when Ruby looked her way.

"Neo…"

Roman looked nervously at Neo then back at Ruby.

"No matter what you two will have to remain friends ok? It would hurt me to see you guys hate each other. Roman, Neo loves Mercury. You will have to accept that and that she has a crush on me. Neo has forgiven Mercury and you should too even though it hurt you with what he did. Are we ok now?"

Roman stared at Neo like she was nuts.

"Really Neo?"

Neo nodded.

BOOOOM

BOOOM BOOM

Neo looked at Roman smiling.

"I think help has arrived," Roman said grinning.


	18. Capture

_I agree_ _ **tetraforce theory.**_ _I think Neo is fine with just being silent. It adds to her character and even if she is a villain she's just so cute and deadly! I hope they leave her mute. I love Yang and I'm a fan of Rosewick but Neo is my all time favorite and Roman ties in second. I love the villains more than the actual good guys lol_

Weiss stepped into the sand relieved they were close to Ruby. Yang jumped out of Bullhead with the same thoughts. Jaune walked towards Weiss to stand beside her to make a new plan. Qrow and Ozpin stood by the Bullhead waiting on them to make a new plan; for them it was entertaining to see them work together so effortlessly.

"Ok since the last plan didn't work so well Jaune has informed me that splitting into couples would cover more ground. I'm not familiar with the forest but military building yes. Blake, Qrow, Ozpin and I will go inside. Junior and Yang will go through the center of the forest. Jaune and Pyrrha take off to the left. Nora and Ren will take the right. Militia and Melanie are you ok with staying here just in case Roman, Ruby and Neo show up?" Weiss asked.

The twins nodded.

"Don't worry Yang we'll take care of her," Melanie said smiling.

"Qrow, you are to take down Ironwood but don't kill or maim him … that bad. I know you would love too but you understand. I already infected the Atlas security system. If you all use the code Icy Night with the email I sent you, you can get a map and access to cameras to look for Ruby BUT the cameras are the ones around you not the entire forest. Ruby is first priority and so is anyone else who got hurt."

"Also remember Ruby is really hurt too. If you find them help them heal themselves; it's really likely they spent most of their aura on Ruby. Neo and Roman are our friends and no longer our enemies. If Ruby trusted in them, so do I. It seems everyone has trust in them one more or another. Let's move!" Jaune said.

Everyone sprinted off eager to complete their mission. Yang and Junior held hands along the way; she was so happy he was glad to help her and her friends. She looked at his and his determined face and she decided after all this she would finally marry him. She almost forgotten Neo and Roman were his friends too.

"They'll be ok," Yang said smiling at him.

"I know baby; I believe they are."

(Back with Ruby)

Ruby felt her legs were going numb; it was an odd sensation that she really didn't mind but it wasn't good. The venom was taking more of an effect than it had and she didn't want to alarm her friends; things between them were strained enough. Ruby kind of felt like she was beginning to slip away… but she wasn't sure anymore. Her eyes rolled lazily over to see Neo's pale face; she looked like she was in deep thought.

Roman was holding her hand but he wasn't looking at her he was looking at Neo. He looked… sad? She couldn't tell with her eyes barely focusing. He started gripping her hand tight; what was wrong? From what she could see there was nothing wrong… She wanted to touch her head; she felt like she had a headache, she wanted to sleep.

"Red?" she heard.

"Hmmmm…?"

"Can I ask you something?" Ruby nodded slightly to his question.

"I know… We haven't been together that long but if we make it through this; will you marry me?" he asked.

Ruby's eyes shot open.

"What?"

"Ruby Rose will you marry after we get through this?" Roman said more confidently.

She looked over at Neo who was listening. Neo smiled and nodded.

"Are you sure Roman?"

Roman put his hands on her cheeks and lifted her face for a kiss.

"I've never been more sure Red," he said tears filling his eyes, "I love you so much."

Ruby started crying.

"Yes, yes!" she cried as she managed to throw her arms around his neck.

Neo tackled Roman hugging him too.

"Neo!"

Neo pulled back and grabbed Roman's face. She mouthed to him, "I'm sorry" and started hugging him again. Ruby closed her eyes smiling. She turned her head when she felt her heart jerk making her cough. She coughed up blood everywhere when her heart jerked again more painfully.

"ARGGGGGGGH IT HURTS!" Ruby screamed.

"Red!"

"I hear them! They're over there!" said a voice.

Roman scooped Ruby up and the trio took off.

"I think they're running away!"

Roman stopped and handed Ruby to Neo. He lit up two fireballs and started throwing into the bushes. He heard a scream but didn't stop. He wanted to make sure that no one came after them for Ruby's sake. He wanted them to make it alive.

"Damnit man stop!" said a man's voice.

Roman froze in his tracks. Neo held Ruby closer to her.

Junior and Yang came out of the brush. Neo collapsed to her knees still holding onto Ruby in tears; tears of joy. Roman grinned running up to Junior hugging him. Junior looked at Yang almost confused but he smiled anyways. Yang stepped up to Neo slowly tears filling her eyes.

"Ruby?" she said softly her voice coming close to cracking.

Neo gently laid Ruby in the grass eyeing Yang cautiously. She knew Yang had one hell of a temper and she didn't want to provoke her. Her beautiful lilac eyes filled with tears as she collapsed to her knees in the grass. She picked up Ruby's head burying her face in her hair and began sobbing.

Roman felt so guilty.

"I'm so sorry Sunshine," he said softly.

Yang looked up at him.

"I'm not upset at you; I'm mad at myself."

Neo glanced at Yang and then at Roman.

Neo knelt down and grabbed Yang's face making her look at Neo. Neo started signing for Roman to translate.

 **** ** _Don't blame yourself; sometimes we do stuff for ourselves to keep ourselves safe. There's nothing wrong with it; its normal as human beings to do so. I was scared you were going to be mad at us but you're not. I don't think you should be mad at yourself either. Let's hurry and get Ruby some help._**

Yang nodded.

"Ruby," Yang whispered.

"Yang… hi…"

"How are feeling?" Yang asked.

"I can't describe it… It's like… I can't feel my feet and my heart is doing weird things. I don't know how I'm still alive… I think… I think I'm dying… I don't feel ok anymore and my stomach… stopped hurting a long time ago. I'm so sorry…"

Ruby began to weep.

THUD THUD THUD THUD

"What the fuck?" Junior said staring at the woods behind them.

Neo tapped Roman's shoulder and mouthed, "Robots."

(Weiss, Ozpin, Blake and Qrow)

"Shit Ice Princess, you can shut down the entire security system but not the fucking robots coming at us?!" Qrow yelled.

"They each have individual systems and I don't have that kind of programing in my arsenal. If we make it alive I can try by the next two years!" Weiss screamed using time dilation on Blake.

Blake destroyed the ten robots in ten seconds (a second for each one) and they started heading forward when General Ironwood stepped out in their way. He stared down at them like he was superior in some way. Weiss grinned and raised her two fingers creating a glyph under Qrow's feet and one on Ironwood. Before Ironwood could react Qrow appeared in front of him slamming him into a pillar causing it to crack.

Qrow kept up his succession of attacks with his weapon breaking the pillar in half and it fell to the side. Ironwood punched Qrow's face sending him flying across the large room. Weiss glared at him; his semblance was super strength. Ozpin took an unusual fighting stance standing on one foot like he was going to hop around the room and he disappeared into thin air. Weiss and Blake had never seen Ozpin fight only Ruby had seen him fight and his semblance.

Ozpin slammed his sword into Ironwood's body. At first it looked like Ozpin had done nothing to him but Ironwood stumbled backwards looking exhausted. Weiss looked at Qrow; Blake helped him up and they made their way by Weiss' side. Weiss' eyes followed Ironwood's movements; they had become sluggish but they were still effective to some degree. The general picked up a giant piece of the broke pillar and hurled it at them.

"He can steal aura if you were wondering," Qrow whispered into Weiss' ear.

"That explains a lot," Weiss whispered as Ozpin struck the general again in the chest.

Qrow pulled his weapon to his side and it started changing shape shifting into a scythe. Blake and Weiss moved out of the way knowing this time he was really serious. Ironwood charged at him; his movements were slowed a lot by Ozpin's semblance. Qrow swung the blade catching the general in the curved blade and began swinging around. Ozpin appeared out of nowhere hitting Ironwood on the back of the head causing him to get dizzy and Qrow flung him against the wall breaking the brick in the process.

Qrow growled in annoyance as Ironwood tried standing again. Weiss raised Myrtenaster and the revolving chamber began moving to the blue Dust. She created a glyph above Ironwood and ice rained down on him finally knocking him out. Qrow picked him up and dragged him to Weiss and she froze his hands together.

"Now the light work has been taken care of, let's find Winter," Weiss said, pulling out a mini scroll and began dialing a special code.

"Winter?"

'Weiss!'

"Where are you? We took out General Ironwood and by that I mean knocked out."

'I'm down the mess hall. I'm in an empty broom closet.'

"Ok, on the way."

Weiss snapped the mini scroll in half and it caught fire. Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"I'm very cautious."

"Right…"

"Let's get you big sister and head out to Ruby," Blake said.

"We are but… we need two people to stay here and watch Ironwood. How do we decide that?" Weiss asked.

"I'll stay here with Ozpin while you and Qrow go after Ruby," Blake said smiling.

"What?" Weiss said.

"Look, I love Ruby as much as I do but you're her partner. You'll be more useful out there than waiting away in here with this idiot. Qrow is her uncle and if she's awake I'm sure she'd like to see him. Go and do what you need to do… Leader Weiss. I love you," Blake said taking Weiss into a loving embrace.

"I love you Blake," she whispered into her ear.

The two women kissed making Ozpin smile and Qrow shift uncomfortably.

"Can we um, go?" Qrow said.

"What does us kissing make you sick or something?" Weiss snapped.

"No it's quite the opposite and you better not tell your sister either," Qrow murmured.

"I think we suck at finding people," Jaune said as Nora and Ren walked up to them.

"Yea well we started walking towards the sounds we heard and found you guys," Ren said looking behind him.

"I wonder if Yang-

"GET RUBY OUT OF HERE!" Yang screamed.

Team JNPR began running towards Yang's screaming and gunshots going off. They saw a group of robots shooting at Yang as she tried keeping up with defending Junior and the others. Pyrrha raised her hands and smacked them together. The robots slammed into each other; starting to malfunction as they crushed together into a pile on the ground.

Yang fired a couple shots into the air signaling that they found Ruby.

"Oh my god! Ruby!" Pyrrha cried.

Yang looked away from Ruby as Pyrrha hurried over to look at her.

"Oh… how? How is she still alive?" Pyrrha whispered.

"I don't know but I'm glad she is," Roman whispered giving Ruby a sad smile.

"We need to get her out of here," Nora said.

Neo glanced at Roman seeing his panicked face when the robots began to fill the woods around them. She tapped Yang's shoulder trying to get her attention but it wasn't working. Yang's lilac eyes looked right past her looking at the robots surrounding them. Neo became annoyed and slapped her arm.

"Hey!?" Yang yelled her eyes turning blood red.

"She's trying to ask you where the Bullhead is at," Roman said.

"On the beach with Melanie and Militia; they're waiting by the mini Bullhead. Why?" Yang asked.

"Why? What are you planning Neo?"

 ** _I can teleport her to them so that she can be out of the danger zone. What do you think?_**

"Can you do without seeing them first?" Roman asked with a hushed tone.

 ** _I saw the beach on the way here and the mini Bullhead we've borrowed a couple time. I also see Militia and Melanie all the time so it's not hard to picture the whole thing._**

"I knew you fuckers took it! Melanie told me I was paranoid all the time when I thought things were out of place! Fuck both of you!" Junior snapped.

Roman and Neo gave him an evil grin.

"It was only five time!" Roman said shrugging.

"Fuck off asshole," Junior muttered.

"Give Ruby to Neo please Yang," Roman said.

"But-

"Do it!"

Neo took Ruby and held her in one arm. Neo quickly grabbed Roman's wrist and they teleported to the beach a few feet from the Bullhead. Roman almost tripped in the sand as he stared Neo down. She carried Ruby to the bullhead where the twins were waiting at.

"Why'd you do that?! I have to go back and fight!" Roman shouted making Melanie jump.

Neo rolled her eyes as she got a blanket for Ruby.

"Hey!" Roman yelled getting angrier.

Neo whacked his arm with her parasol.

"BITCH!" he screamed.

 ** _You can't fight. You're weak from using your semblance too much. You're a great fighter but you suck at the very idea of conserving energy. If Ruby decides to wake up she'll want to see your face, that's why I brought you here. I'll go fight; give me Ruby's scythe._**

"Why didn't you tell me?" Roman asked use eyes burrowing into her soul.

 ** _What?_**

"You know what."

Neo rubbed her arm avoiding his eyes.

 ** _Because… you are happy. I would like you to be happy and I want to try talking to Mercury anyways. Sometimes I felt like I owed you something somewhere and this is it: you can have the heart of the most beautiful girl in the world. She showed you compassion and love; the things you never wanted or even cared to know about._**

 ** _Don't be stupid and throw yourself to a battle that might not be won. You may have to save her in the end along if we don't succeed. You'll be hiding but at least you'll have her. If I go down I want to do it knowing the two people, I care about in the whole world is safe and ok. I love you guys._**

Roman's mouth hung slightly open as Neo grabbed Crescent Rose; it began unfolding to its scythe form. She smiled happily and gave a wave to the twins. Neo disappeared in thin air leaving Roman to stare at the spot just was just standing in. Militia knelt down beside of Ruby and touched her forehead.

"She's got a slight fever… She's clammy and has a weak pulse. We have to extract more of the venom and it'll more or less give her legs and fingertips feeling there again. Melanie can you come here and assist me?"

"How do you guys know how to do all that?" Roman asked arching an eyebrow.

"I took a course in this kind of thing since Junior has the habit of getting hurt a lot. I can tell the venom is a slow moving one meant to torture the victim; it's man made. What I'll do is take a tube and shove it into her wound and unfortunately hurt her some more but having it poke out of her back. When we flow our aura into her wound it'll force the venom and some blood through the tube and heal her at the same time.

"We'll pull the tube out of her back and patch her up. You will have to help hold her down because this will hurt. Melanie lift her up and hold her back off the floor. Let me get the medical kit and get started. Are you ready Roman?"

"I don't want her hurt anymore," he whispered.

"If there was another way I would do it but this is all I can do. She may not make it alive."

Melanie lifted Ruby up and Militia pulled out the long tube. She dropped it into some water solution and dumped some on her hands. She wiped out Ruby's wound (Ruby never stirred) and around it. She attached a metal piece to the tube that had a sharp point to it.

Militia raised the tube over her head and thrust down as fast as she could to make it as painless as possible. Ruby's body, her eyes shot open and she started screaming. Roman held her down as much as he could but she was still so powerful even after being so weak for days. Militia pushed down her wound and her aura poured into the wound.

The purple venom flowed through the tube in Ruby's back onto the floor of the Bullhead. Militia removed her hands from Ruby and held her ear against Ruby's chest. Her heart has picked up a healthy speed making Militia smile. She gave the thumbs up to her sister and to Roman. Melanie shifted Ruby to her side.

Militia ripped off the corset and cut some of Ruby's dress off. She pulled out a pair of tweezers and took a deep breath as she pulled the tube out causing Ruby's body to jerk again and she screeched. Militia set the tube to the side and grabbed a non-stick pad and pressed it the hole in Ruby's back. Roman handed her a roll of gauze wrap and Militia finished patching Ruby up.

"There that wasn't so bad was it?" Militia asked smiling.

Roman had tears flowing down his face shocking both sisters.

"Roman?"

"I'm fine. I'm just glad she's ok."

(Ozpin and Qrow)

"Well she pretty much made it to the end so she has the ability to become a huntress so easily that she puts everyone else to shame," Qrow said.

"It doesn't mean she should though."

Qrow laughed.

"Ruby is like her mother. It runs in her veins."

"I know," Ozpin said smiling sadly.

"You really loved Summer didn't you?" Qrow said softly.

"I did very much so but there's nothing I can do about it."

Both men stood silent for a couple minutes.

"You think Summer was happy with Taiyang?" Ozpin asked.

"Yea… Yea I think so," Qrow said patting his old friend's shoulder.

"That's good. That makes me feel somewhat better."

"Is that why you let Ruby's in so soon at Beacon?"

"Yes. Summer always said one day that she'd love to save the world and remove all the evil she could. She wanted to help people and to this very day Ruby stills holds onto that belief. I never wanted her hurt but I wanted her to spread her wings further than Summer. I wanted to aid her into fulfilling her dream," Ozpin said smiling.

 _Summer, she's almost there._


	19. Safe

_One more chapter and I'll be done with this story. I'm super excited for Chapter 10 of volume 3 this sunday! I haven't got any ideas on a new story yet but I should come up one by sunday or monday. :)_

Neo reappeared making Yang jump.

"What the fuck?! Why do you have that?" Yang yelled as she punched out another robot.

Neo smiled.

"You like it?"

Neo nodded.

Neo took off running as fast as she could and firing off snipe rounds in a fast succession making Yang stop in her tracks with her mouth hanging open. Neo wasn't her sister but she was definitely still good with Crescent Rose. Now Yang new she was good; if she could wield that heavy ass weapon no wonder she was good with her umbrella. No wonder she got her ass beat on the train.

Crescent Rose took its full form into a scythe and Neo seemed to move even faster. She was taking out robots faster than Pyrrha was. Junior laughed watching his friend ripped up the metal of a 'high tech army'. Neo wouldn't hurt people unless she was going for self-defense; she had a lot of pent up frustration and taking it out a robotic army was doing the trick.

(Finding Winter)

"Wow really; fucking Atlas. You guys had to put so many goddamn doors we can't even find one woman with fucking specific directions. You two are fucking lucky we stayed behind to help you. Schnee where the fuck is your sister? WINTER!" Qrow yelled.

Weiss glared at him while Blake giggled.

"HEY!"

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

"Ice Queen!" Qrow yelled.

"HEY!"

Qrow ran down the corridor frantically looking. He stopped at the right door just in time for Winter to kick off the hinges and hit him into the ground. Winter walked into the hallway looking pissed. Weiss hugged her, happy to see her. Qrow threw the door off of him and stood up angrily.

"Qrow! I'm so sorry-

He didn't give her time to finish her sentence as he grabbed her waist pulling her in for a kiss and grabbing her ass roughly making her moan out loud. Ozpin just shook his head smiling. Blake and Weiss turned away their faces turning red. He pulled away looking into her beautiful ocean colored eyes.

"I missed you Winter. I love you," he whispered.

Winter jerked back in surprise.

"You-you do?"

"Well yeah! Why else would I be here?" Qrow snapped.

Winter punched his arm smiling.

"Where is your RNR team?" Winter asked.

"I don't know. I haven't heard anything yet-

Weiss' scroll started going off.

"Hello?"

'Schnee? This is Militia from Junior's group.'

"Yes?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

"What's up? Is everything ok?" she asked her voice shaking.

'It is so far. We wanted to let you know, since I'm sure the others are in battle right now because I can hear gun fire that we have Ruby and she's resting. Roman is here too and he's really worn out too and Neo had went back to battle with the others. Ruby's condition is stable at the moment.

'Also we are seeing some robots in the woods near here but they haven't spotted us yet. Can you send us two people just in case? Melanie and I don't have the firepower as everyone else and we don't want Ruby getting hurt. Is that ok with you?'

"Yes Militia. I'll send you some help."

Weiss hung up and looked at them.

"Ruby's on the beach and she's in stable condition. Who wants to go and protect them at the bullhead?"

Blake looked at Ozpin.

"Blake and I will return to the battle field," Ozpin said.

"As will I," Weiss said.

"You don't want to stay here with me?" Winter asked.

"I wish I could but I'm acting team leader of RWBY and it won't look good on me if I just stand here. I love you Winter but one of our teammates is out there and that's very unfair of me to stay here in safety. You can help by shutting down the army can't you?" Weiss asked.

"Yes I can actually."

"Qrow go to the Bullhead and give them some protection and checkup on Ruby ok?"

Qrow kissed Winter one more time and started running. Weiss gave her sister a hug and grabbed Blake's hand. Ozpin smiled and left with the two women. Winter turned around and headed for the control room. _This is it. After all this I'll be the general and I'll set things right,_ she thought.

They came back to the hallway to where they left the general. He was awake now and angry. He tried struggling against his ice coffin but it was no good. Qrow smirked at him and walked right past him. Ozpin grabbed his head draining out some more of his aura. Ironwood's eyes rolled back and he passed out again.

They reached outside when the sun was already starting to set.

"This isn't good," Weiss said looking at her scroll.

"I agree but we can't leave until Winter shuts the robots down. Ruby can't get help until then so she has to keep waiting it out. We want everyone out safe but Ruby won't make it much longer. What should we do?" Blake said covering her face.

"Can't Neo teleport?" Qrow asked.

Everyone looked at one another.

"She won't do it," Ozpin said.

Everyone stared at him like he grew a third head.

"If Ruby is on a mission she completes it until the end. I'm sure she told Neo that and Neo won't against what Ruby believes in. Neo is her new teammate and new best friend and she wants to respect her wishes so she won't teleport her to the hospital. I'm sure Miss Xiao Long would love to punch her for it but even then she wouldn't."

The girls said nothing as they glanced at each other quickly then at Qrow waiting for him to express his thoughts.

"I respect Ruby's wishes as well then," he said.

"What?! Are you insane?" Blake cried.

"No."

Weiss stomped her way into his face.

"What is wrong with you! She's your niece!" she screamed.

 _Man her breath is like ice,_ Qrow thought.

"She is and I respect her decision. If you knew Summer like I did, then you would understand Ruby. She's thought this out well and she knows what she wants. This is a big deal for her and she told me herself she wanted to finish it no matter the cost. Summer died doing a mission that was important to her. This is Ruby's chance to fix things with the world."

"But she did! She helped us-

"She helped you do it but your names are all over what you guys help fix. She wanted something that meant something to her. She wanted something for all of you that was bigger than what you had already done. She wanted people to believe in your four; that you could be trusted. Winter was her informant and even became one of her friends," Qrow said eyeing the girls.

"Ruby is her mother in every way," Ozpin said.

"She said that?" Weiss asked softly.

"Yes. I think you should feel sorry afterwards after she lives and we win," Qrow said sounding angry.

The girls hung their head.

"I'm going. Later," Qrow said running for the beach.

"Let's go ladies," Ozpin said.

(In battle)

"I can barely see anything!" Jaune said.

"Let's retreat up and decide what to do!" Pyrrha said.

Everyone took off running and jumped into the trees to hide as much as possible. Neo crouched down by Junior watching the robots run pass them. She tapped onto his shoulder and started signing to him. He nodded and gave her the thumbs up. He tapped Yang's shoulder and whispered into her ear and she nodded pulling out her scroll.

 **FROM YANG: Jaune, Neo said have Pyrrha use her polarity and raise the robots up and one at a time we destroy them so we can get rid of them. Neo said she wants to go first.**

 **FROM JAUNE: Ok I agree with that! That's a great idea. Wait for my signal. Let me relay the message to everyone.**

 **FROM JAUNE: Pyrrha will raise the bots into the air and each one of us will strike down five and return to our spot. It'll be Neo, Yang, Junior, Nora, Me and then Ren. I'll give you the signal to go after each person.**

Pyrrha raised ten robots into the air and Jaune pointed at Neo. She sliced through five at one time taking her spot back. Jaune pointed at Yang next and she jumped slamming her fists into two of them at one time. She whirled around taking out two more and then she beheaded the last one. Jaune pointed Junior who blew them up in midair and he took his spot back.

He pointed at Nora who was more than happy to do her job and she knocked out five at one time taking out some trees and one of them Ren was sitting on. He just shook his head as he jumped into another tree. Nora sat up beside him and gave him a hug apologizing silently. Jaune went next taking out each robot with one strike. Pyrrha smiled at him; he had improved a lot over the years and it really showed.

Ren was last to go and he was faster than Neo taking out his five.

 **FROM JAUNE: Good work everyone! Let's keep this up for a while until we hear form Weiss.**

After an hour of destroying robots, there was a giant pile in the middle of the trees. Just as they jumped down they felt the ground shake. Yang just shook her head as everyone got ready to strike. No one moved as Weiss, Blake and Ozpin came through the trees on the giant knight. Weiss smiled at her friends proudly as she jumped down. Blake and Ozpin jumped down to stand beside her as the giant knelt down in a defensive position.

"How's Ruby?!" Yang cried.

"Militia has got her in stable condition but we can't leave until Winter shuts the robots down thus completing the mission. It is Ruby's wishes to remain in Atlas until it is completed and Winter has control of the military tower. I know I know but it is up to Ruby and this is a big deal for her."

Everyone stood in stunned silence.

"Is she even in the right mind to make that decision?!" Yang cried tears filling her eyes.

She was filled with regret and sorrow. She was sorry that even let Ruby take this god forsaken mission; this was a death trap. Who knew how long it would take Winter to shut down the robots? Yang glared as more robots began filling the woods again.

"Hello Winter?" Weiss said with her hand on her hip.

'I got it! Hold on!'

Weiss began tapping her foot impatiently.

'Dear sister calm down. I'm almost done. There give it a minute and they'll begin shutting down.'

Just as Winter finished talking most of the robots stopped and dropped to the ground making everyone cheer.

"Let's head for the beach now!" Weiss screamed.

She hopped back on the knight's shoulder and Blake followed her. The knight stood back up and started towards the beach with everyone behind it. Neo skipped happily beside of Yang and Junior carrying Crescent Rose proudly. The battle was won, but would Ruby make it out ok?

(Ruby, Roman, Militia and Melanie)

Militia and Melanie cheered as soon as they saw Qrow walking towards them on the beach making him smile. Roman was fast asleep with Ruby in his arms; they were covered in a blanket resting. Qrow patted the girls on the head and peered inside the bullhead.

 _So that was really Roman huh? He looks like shit and all his clothes are torn up to shit. He didn't even look that bad when he was in prison but he's been out homeless for a while too. I wonder why Ruby likes him so much but it looks like her choice was right; he's holding her tightly even though he's asleep._

"Roman."

The red head didn't move.

"Roman, wake up man."

Roman cracked his eyes opening peeking at him. All he saw a man with red eyes and black hair. He was smiling and had stubble on his face. Who was he? He didn't look familiar to him. Did he know Red?

"Who are you?" Roman asked half asleep.

"I'm Ruby and Yang's Uncle Qrow and I'm guessing you're Roman? Ruby's boyfriend?"

"Yes…" he said almost falling back asleep.

"Get some sleep until they get here."

Roman shut his eyes.

Qrow sat on the sand outside of the bullhead with Militia and Melanie. He kept staring at his scroll waiting for Winter to message him. He actually worried about her especially with Ironwood trapped in ice. He began dialing her number when his scroll started to buzz. It wasn't Winter, it was Yang.

"Yea?"

'We are on the way! Winter shut down the bots so when we get to the beach you can go back and be with her if you want.'

"Thanks Yang. I would like that."

'I know; I can tell with the way you look at her. Even when someone mentions her name your face lights up like its Christmas.'

Qrow grinned, "Shut up and get here."

'Bye!'

"Bye."

After an hour of waiting the group of hunters and huntresses showed up to the Bullhead. Qrow jumped up and began running towards them. Yang gave him a high five as he passed them and he continued into the woods. Yang ran ahead of everyone to get to Ruby first.

She peered in out of breath from running. She was safe. Ruby was safe and in the arms of an ex-criminal. Yang smiled sadly; the sight made her heart hurt. It hurt her because a man who barely knew her sister risked everything to make sure she was safe while Yang stayed at school safe and selfish.

"I'm sorry Ruby!" she whispered starting to cry.

Yang put her head on Ruby's lap and started sobbing hard. Ruby kept on sleeping; her breathing steady but shallow. Yang gripped onto Ruby's torn dress when she felt someone patting her head. She looked up to see green eyes staring at her sadly.

"She's mad at you Sunshine. Just hurry up and get us home so she can get the medicine she needs," Roman said pulling his hand away.

Yang smiled.

"Ok," she said.

Everyone piled into the bullhead with Neo going in last. She had Crescent Rose folded up and she placed it in Ruby's lap. She sat down in between Roman's legs on the floor and passed out. She was just as exhausted as Roman was; she smiled anyways thinking of her friends and how hopefully everything was going to be ok.

The ride home was long and painful. Junior managed to make it to Vale's hospital and landed before he ran out of fuel. The hospital staff had already gotten a call from Ozpin that they had a critically ill person. Luckily Militia saved a sample of the venom and handed it to the doctors there. They sent it to the lab to be analyzed.

Ruby was sent into surgery to reopen her wound and make sure her organs were ok.

(Winter and Qrow)

Winter sat in General Ironwood's old chair saving files and downloading footage for evidence while she had ten robots guarding Ironwood himself. She fiddled with the desk drawer before she punched it and it popped open. She smiled to herself and began typing on the keyboard again.

"My Queen."

Winter turned around to see Qrow in the doorway.

"What are you here for? Isn't your niece hurt?"

"She is but she is in the arms of a strong man. She looked a little better than I thought she would. Yang messaged me and said they made it the hospital ten minutes ago. RNR are probably getting patched up pretty good right about now. I told Yang to keep me updated."

Qrow walked over and knelt down beside of her chair laying his head on her leg. Winter smiled as she stroked his rough hair. She loved the way he was; he was sweet as sugar and a pain in the ass sometimes. He would do anything for her if she asked him too.

"Winter, I missed you."

"I know Qrow. It's been three months since I've seen you."

"Yea I know. My balls feel it too."

Winter laughed covering her face.

"What my pictures didn't help?" she teased.

"No, I won't do that; I'm not a kid. I want the real thing; I wanted a real woman and that woman is you," he said pulling off her boots.

"Really? What are you doing?" she asked as her face turned pink.

"I'm going to love you the way you need me too."

Winter cried out as he pulled her pants off; he almost pulled her out of the chair. He pulled her underwear off next running his fingers down her smooth legs. She let out a soft moan and shivered at his touch. He parted her legs and kissed her inner thighs slowly torturing her.

"Oh Qrow, I want you please!" she whispered impatiently.

He parted her legs more and put his head in between her long, silky legs and began pleasing her the way she needed him too.

"Qrow!" she cried out.

(Roman and Neo's room)

Roman sat up in his bed staring at Neo are she played solitaire and drinking from her sixth juice box. He grinned thinking about how much she looked like a little kid sitting in her bed. He picked up a piece of paper, crumpled it up and threw it at her. The paper ball bounced off her head and onto the floor.

Neo glared at him and she picked up her parasol. He was too busy laughing to see what she was doing. She pulled out her knife from her parasol and threw it at him nailing his hat to the wall behind him. He stopped laughing as the color drained from his face.

"My apologizes Neo…."

 ** _Damn right asshole._**

Junior showed up at their door to see Roman's hat sticking to the wall with Neo's knife. He just shook his head and sat on Neo's bed looking at her. She looked better than she did; she ate ten trays of hospital food when they got there. Roman ate about four even though he complained about the food.

"When will you ever learn not to mess with her?" Junior asked Roman. Roman pulled the knife out of the wall and put his hat back on.

"I know but it's funny as hell."

"It won't be when you pull the wrong prank and she kills you."

Roman laughed nervously.

"Anything on little Red yet?" he asked.

"She's in the ICU right now and no one can see her," Roman stated his eyes clouding over with sadness.

"Ah nothing's changed then? I had to stop Blondie from killing the doctor when he said that."

"You're gonna marry her with that temper?" Roman asked laughing.

Neo tapped Junior with her parasol.

"What's up Pinkie?"

 ** _You know you could fire the twins and replace them with Yang. She is pretty sufficient on her own. It's quite funny to watch her get mad._**

"I want people to live after they been kicked out Neo. Yang would kill someone is they looked at her funny. Melanie and Militia are on vacation now anyways so Yang did agree to replace them for the week. Well I have to go; Yang is making me some dinner tonight at my apartment and I don't want to be late."

Neo and Roman waved to their friend.

"I wonder where Ice princess went?" Roman asked looking thoughtful.

 **** ** _I don't know. She said she was taking on one hell of a project and she said she wanted to finish in a couple months. She said she took a LOA from school with Ozpin's permission but she refused to tell me what she was doing. Blake said she had no idea either._**

"Hmmm. Maybe she's got a high end job to do?"

 ** _Maybe._**

(Weiss and Blake)

"Are you sure you wanna leave for two months?" Blake asked.

"Yes. I have something important to do. Will you take notes for me please?" Weiss asked.

Blake frowned making Weiss laugh.

"I want a kiss please," Weiss said puckering her lips out.

Blake rolled her eyes and laughed.

"What are you going to be doing?"

Weiss frowned.

"I'm going to try but I don't know if I'll succeed though. I still want a kiss Blake!" she whined.

Blake smiled and kissed her girlfriend.

"I love you Weiss. Call me often ok?"

"Anything for you Blake. I'm sure Winter will allow you to visit me once in a while."

The girls smiled and kissed again.

"Bye Weiss," Blake whispered.

"Bye Blake," Weiss said blowing her a kiss as she got on the Bullhead headed towards Atlas.

(Yang)

"Yes Dad she's still in the ICU and no one is allowed to see her I already tried," Yang said as she stirred the noodles.

'Really Yang? That means it was pretty bad. What happened?'

"It's… A long story Dad. I'll tell you in a week when I go visit Patch ok?"

'Hmmmm… Fine Yang. I love you take care.'

"I love you Dad, bye."

"You still can't tell him?" Junior asked from the door.

Yang jumped holding her wooden spoon out like she was going to kill someone with it.

"Shit Junior really? Why did you scare me like that?!" she cried her eyes turning red.

"Baby! Baby! Relax!" Junior said giving her a quick kiss.

Yang rolled her eyes.

"Melanie and Militia will be here for supper."

"That was nice of you," Junior said.

"Well they can't cook and you can't for shit either. I remember the first time I can some hamburger helper and they thought it was five-star stuff. I can't believe between the three of you, you can't cook even mac and cheese. Ruby makes better food than me and she's younger than all of us."

Junior laughed.

"I love you Blondie."

"I love you too Hei," Yang said throwing her spoon at him giggling.

(Ozpin)

Ozpin sat at his desk holding a couple pictures in his hands staring at them sadly. The first one was of Summer with Raven. She was laughing and holding onto Raven's arm. God he missed her laugh and her silver eyes. Her voice was always so calming…

He picked up a picture of Ruby and held it up to one of Summer. They looked exactly like twins. He always thought Ruby as his own daughter even though she was Taiyang's daughter. He remembered it like it was yesterday when he heard she was pregnant with Taiyang's baby. He hid in his office for a month before he came out. The memories made his heart wrench.

"Still hung up over her huh?"

Ozpin looked up to see Qrow standing there.

"Yea and I probably always will."


	20. Waking up

_Unlucky for me but I got sick last night but I feel much better. This is the last chapter and I made it longer than the others ones. Enjoy 3_

(Two Months later)

"Weiss are you gonna come and eat?"

"Qrow I said I'm not hungry and I'm not in the mood for ramen again; I'm tired of eating it," Weiss snapped lifting her wielding mask off.

Qrow looked over at the trash can in the corner filled empty ramen containers. He just grinned at her and set down a chocolate milkshake and a bowl of spaghetti beside of her. She arched an eyebrow at him in surprise making him smile. She lifted the bowl and smelled it. _It smells like fucking heaven oh my god!_

"Thank you! It smells so good!" Weiss squeaked excitedly.

"Your welcome. Winter has been craving spaghetti lately so I made her some and a big pot too."

"I can't believe you two procreated I mean really. I'm surprised my father was even ok with it but considering Winter runs the military and the academy I guess he can't complain about her not being responsible. She runs everything pretty good and I'm surprised she even lets you help her. I still can't believe that you're my brother-in-law. When Ruby wakes up she's gonna flip," Weiss said and began shoving food into her mouth at a rapid pace.

"I know. The doctors said she should be awake any day now. How's Penny coming along?" Qrow asked.

"I had to rebuild her body since she's older now. I didn't think she'd wanna look younger than Ruby so I made her look twenty-one. Winter said she'd come style her hair for me once she wakes up. I was lucky to find her memories and fix them. I just hope she doesn't freak out when she sees me. I haven't changed in the last two years like the others," she said tapping her fork.

Qrow laughed.

"Isn't Blake coming too?"

"Shit yes I forgot!" Weiss cried out picking up her milkshake.

"How can you forget?" he asked.

"I lose track of time so easily down here. I swear there isn't enough hours in a day," Weiss snapped.

"Come on Ice Princess. Take a break and go upstairs to see Winter. Get some more spaghetti too you need it."

"No, I don't! Ugh I shouldn't be eating this stuff anyways I'm going to get fat!"

"Weiss, you run on a treadmill while writing plans and things you have to fix on Penny. Sometimes you shout out ideas at a tape recorder," he said smirking at her while she glared at him.

"I can't help it I'm busy."

"Let's go. Load up Penny's memories and set a timer."

"FINE-FINE-FINE…"

"Calm yourself Weiss."

Weiss plugged in a bright pink cord and set Penny's eight green blades inside her backpack.

"Weiss!"

"I'm coming; shit!" she screamed.

(Roman and Neo)

"Neo! Grab me some juice!" Roman yelled from the hospital room.

Neo nodded and ran down the stairs to the vending machine. She was so excited; Ruby should be able to wake up this week. The doctors had said the venom had poisoned everything and she needed time to rebuild her body back up. She stretched after pressing the apple juice button.

Roman never left Ruby's hospital room for anything but Neo was willing to go anywhere for him so he could be with her. Neo was also excited and nervous because in three days she was going to see Mercury; a day before his execution. She got permission from Winter to talk to him to see if he would be willing to give up information about Cinder's Dust hiding spot.

Neo carried the drinks and the snacks to Ruby's room and handed Roman a couple of things. He had just finished dry shampooing her hair and brushing it. Watching him do it made Neo smile; the sight of it was so cute it warmed her heart. He chugged down the apple juice watching some TV.

 ** _I'm so happy!_**

"Me too Neo! I actually kind of miss Snowflake. She hasn't left Atlas in two months."

Neo nodded.

 ** _I hope we can do a slumber party soon!_**

Roman laughed.

"You think she'd wanna sleep after two months of it?"

Neo frowned throwing her empty orange juice bottle at his head.

 ** _Shut up._**

"Neopolitan?"

They both looked up to see a gray haired man standing there smiling.

"Ozpin!" Roman yelled throwing his hands up.

 ** _What's up? Did something happen?_**

"I have those steroid shots for your throat."

Neo jumped stumbling over to Ozpin.

"I didn't think they were going to make you anymore?" Roman stated frowning at the black case.

 ** _They are low dose so I don't get sick afterwards._**

"Oh."

"I heard Miss Schnee is coming back today," Ozpin said.

 ** _Yes! I miss her so much!_**

Ozpin chucked, "Well I have things to do. I'll see you later."

"You're still planning on seeing that asshole after all? I really can't believe that shit. You cried for months on end about what he did to you and you're gonna waltz over to him and forgive him for what he did and he's just going to give up shit just because you were nice?" Roman growled.

 ** _I do and you aren't going to stop me either._**

"Whatever."

 ** _Don't be like that now. Ruby is gonna be awake and you're over here complaining. When she wakes up you should be happy; not listening to you complain about everything._**

"I know," Roma said softly as he smiled at Ruby.

She was still just as pretty as she was when he woke up seeing her at the hospital that day. He knew he surprised even Yang by staying by her side and Yang offered to let him go home to Ruby's apartment but he said no. He wanted to be with her every waking moment and Yang was the one to show him how to clean her hair.

Yang and Junior showed up every day around five before his club opened up for the night. Blake would go see Neo and learn sign language so she could talk with her instead of them using their phones but it was quite enjoyable to watch Roman get frustrated when he didn't know what they were laughing about. Team JNPR would show up once a week to visit and ask Roman how everything was.

"I miss her," he said quietly looking at the ceiling.

 ** _I'm sure she misses you. Can you imagine how much she's gonna eat? We are gonna have to hit up like eight buffets!_**

Roman laughed.

Ruby did have a killer appetite; she could eat almost a whole buffet by herself. Roman had even asked Yang if she was always like that and apparently it runs in the family. Summer had eaten the same way and Taiyang barely ate anything. Yang said she always ate a lot too; she always burned off the food in training or fighting Grimm.

"Unnnn…."

Neo jumped up her eyes lighting up. Roman fell out of his chair trying to stand up. Ruby's eyes fluttered open. Her silver eyes looked around lazily like she was still tired. She almost died three times in the two months but she still kept going and here she was waking up.

"Ruby! How do you feel?" Roman asked happily.

Neo was tapping her fingers all over her phone messaging everyone.

"I… thirsty?" she said unsure of herself.

"Ok Red I'll get you something!"

For the first time in two months he walked of the room. All the nurses looked up at him.

"She's awake. She wants water."

Three nurses rushed into the room and another called Ruby's doctor. Roman watched as they checked everything on Ruby and they verified she was ok. They left the room and got Ruby a bottle of water but advised her to take sips. Roman helped her sit up and she looked at him funny.

"You… stayed?" she asked.

Neo jumped to the side of the bed.

"You both stayed here?"

They nodded.

"Why-why?"

"Because I love you Ruby! Neo misses and loves you too!" Roman said rubbing her hand gently.

Ruby put her hands on her face and started crying leaving Roman and Neo speechless.

"W-why are you crying?" Roman asked.

"That's one of the sweetest things that has ever happened to me! How long was I out for?!" she cried.

Roman and Neo looked at each other.

"Two months."

"I-I missed my birthday?"

Neo nodded sadly.

Ruby wailed even louder.

"Red its ok! Calm down!"

"RUBY!" Everyone turned to see Yang and Junior standing there.

"YANG!" Ruby screamed.

They embraced each other making Roman look at Junior funny. Junior shrugged.

"I'm so glad you're ok!" Yang cried.

Ruby smiled weakly and looked at Roman.

"What happened while I was asleep?" Ruby asked.

"Weiss went to Atlas for two months… You almost died several times… I've stayed with you for the last two months without moving from the room. Don't worry Neo took care of your apartment for you… Well… Yang?" Roman said gesturing towards Yang.

"Junior and I are getting married tomorrow."

"WHAT!"

"To be fair we've been together two years. Yang just never told anybody," Junior said.

"Wow!"

"So you are awake?"

Ruby and Yang looked at the doorway.

"Dad!" they cried in unison.

Taiyang stepped towards Ruby's bed and gave her a hug. She hugged him as tightly as she could. He held onto her for about five minutes without letting go. Yang smiled; it was the first time in a long time he showed that much affection to either one of them after Summer had died. Yang touched his shoulder smiling.

"Hey Dad."

"Yang, I'm very disappointed in you."

Yang pulled her hand back in disbelief.

"What?"

"Ruby told me about the mission she was going on and how none of her team went with her. I'm surprised even at you that you had refused. She expressed how important it was too her and you never went? She even asked me but I was already departing for a two-week mission. Instead of you and the rest of her team, two ex-criminals go with her instead. I'm pleased to know that Roman took care of my daughter."

Roman felt his face turn pink.

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without Neo's help," Roman said in a low tone.

Taiyang smiled.

"I've heard of the mute girl who could mirror Ruby's fighting style," he said patting Neo's head.

Neo blushed.

"Yang I'm glad you found the love of your life but instead next time go with Ruby."

"Yes Dad…"

"So you're Junior then?" Taiyang said holding his hand out to the tall man.

"Hei Xiong. Pleased to meet you."

"I have to go. I'll be there to give you away Yang," Taiyang said kissing Yang on the cheek and then hugging Ruby again.

(Weiss, Qrow, Winter, Penny)

"I know she's awake! Give me a couple minutes!" Weiss yelled, pulling a green and gray dress on Penny.

"I can't believe you rebuilt me all by yourself Weiss."

"I know. It took a lot of studying to do it. Blake will be here any moment to see you too," Weiss said smiling.

"I-I can't believe I attacked Ruby like I did…" Penny whispered.

"She will forgive you trust me. She's been having sleeping problems because she felt like she failed you."

"I'm sorry," Penny said looking sad.

"Cinder messed with your controls it's not your fault. Now I hope you don't mind that I made you older looking."

Penny smiled.

"Let me get a mirror," Weiss said.

"Weiss!"

"I'm down here Blake!" Weiss yelled pulling a mirror from her work closet.

Penny sat patiently on the table as Weiss carried the mirror to her.

"What do you think Penny?" Weiss asked holding the body length mirror for Penny.

Penny gasped as she saw her new self. Her eyes were still green and she still had her freckles. Her hair reached to the middle of her back and it flipped inward like it had when it was short. Her dress was gray with bright green trim and she had black legging with green and gray shoes. She was 5'8 now and she definitely looked like she was twenty-one.

"I love it Weiss!"

Blake gave Weiss a kiss on the cheek.

"Are you two ready? Neo messaged me and Ruby is awake from her coma."

"We are; I just had to make sure Penny had some clothes. Penny, we can go shopping sometime later ok? I just picked this out really quick and it was the closest to what you had worn before."

"It's ok. I like it," she said smiling.

"Let's go before Winter gets more impatient. I know her and Qrow wanted to tell Ruby the good news."

Blake smiled and grabbed Weiss' hand and they walked up the stairs. It was Weiss' first time out of the basement in two weeks.

"It's about time you three! Let's hurry to Vale Hospital and see Ruby!" Winter said smiling.

"I keep forgetting your friends with Ruby too," Weiss said shaking her head.

"I'm ready to see Ruby too!" Penny said jumping and clapping.

"Hey I got the snacks you asked for Winter."

Winter turned around to see Qrow holding a lunch bag.

"Thank you, Qrow very much. I love you," she said hugging him tightly.

"I also brought a bucket just in case," he said grinning.

Winter glared at him making Weiss snort.

"Let's go," Weiss said

(Ruby)

Ruby felt like she was in heaven even though she could barely stand on her. She sat down in the hospital shower running the hot water through her hair. She sighed and grabbed the bar of soap they had given her; it smelled weird but she had a funky smell from laying there two months. She began washing off when she stopped at her ugly pinkish scar on her stomach.

 _Wow it feels so ugly and gross. I can't believe I'm here._

Ruby started crying again.

Roman opened the bathroom door and began walking in when he heard Ruby crying. He had gone to her apartment to get her some clothes to wear since her fighting outfit was still ripped up. He sat her clothes on the little shelf by the toilet and crept over to the shower listening. She was crying.

"Red, are you ok?" he asked softly.

"N-n-no."

"Why what happened while I was gone?"

"It's so ugly looking…" she whispered.

"What is?" he asked; he had no idea what she was talking about.

"The s-s-scar. Its ugly."

"Why do you think that?" he asked.

"Why would you want me with such a huge flaw? Its gross feeling."

"Red, it means you lived. You fought in one hell of battle and you won. You made it to the end and that shows for something. You stopped a corrupted general who made deadly Grimm that would've killed people. That scar is beautiful and it stands for what you accomplished. You saved a lot of people and took evil down just like you wanted too," Roman said pulling the shower curtain back.

"Wow…"

"Red, I'm with you for who you are. You are beautiful yes… but physical appearance means nothing. An ugly soul can turn someone physically beautiful into something ugly. You're a wonder person and that's what makes you worth waiting for. I love you Ruby."

Roman reached over and got a towel.

"Are you ready to come out?" he asked quietly smiling.

Ruby nodded. She reached around and turned the water off as Roman stepped into the shower to wrap the towel around her. She smiled at him as he tugged the end in under her arm and stepped out. Roman held out his hand as Ruby slowly walked out holding onto his hand.

"How's your legs feel?"

"Tired," she said struggling to keep herself up.

"The doctor said it would take you a week to get use to walking again. He said you could use your aura to help your body rebuild its lost muscle mass as you started trying a little more. Neo said you probably could eat out eight buffets right about now but you haven't even asked for anything to eat. Are you hungry?" he asked.

"A little. What am I allowed to eat?" she asked.

"They never said anything about what you couldn't have… You want fried chicken or pizza?" Roman asked.

Ruby gave him an evil smile.

"You know me so well fiancé," Ruby said.

Roman blushed.

"You remember that?" he said hiding his face.

"Yes. I remember most of it. I know I said yes didn't I?" Ruby teased watching Roman turn to a dark shade of red.

"You did," he said.

"I still want too."

Roman's head whipped around to see Ruby's serious face.

"Really?"

"You stayed here with me with Neo for two months straight. Even Yang told me it was true. She said you kept her updated every day and that she even showed you how to do my hair and take care of my wound. She was really happy that you stuck around. I love you Roman. I will marry you after I get better and graduate Beacon."

Roman put his arms around her waist, picking her up to have her face him.

"The day you graduate Ruby Rose, that's when I want to marry you. No sooner no later."

"Well that was definitely really cute to see."

The couple looked towards the door to see Weiss and Blake standing there with Qrow and Winter behind them.

"Oh my god! Blake! Weiss! Winter! Uncle Qrow!" Ruby squealed hurting Roman's ears in the process.

They walked into the room smiling.

"Hey Ruby. How do you feel about having a cousin?" Qrow asked.

"Huh?"

Weiss shook her head.

"Dunce," she said.

"I don't get it?" Ruby pouted.

Winter smiled and took Ruby's hand.

"We are having a baby."

"WHHHHHHHHATTTTTTTTT?!" Ruby screamed her face lighting up like it was Christmas.

Weiss grinned.

"So that also means Weiss and I are family now too?!"

Blake giggled.

"Yea in a way."

Ruby squealed again.

"There's someone here who wants to see you. She's missed you Ruby," Weiss said.

"Who?" Ruby asked.

Penny stepped into the room smiling. Ruby felt her body go stiff; was she seeing things? She felt her body get up on its own and walk across the room to stand in front of Penny. Tears overflowed in her eyes and she hugged Penny as tight as she could.

"PENNY I'M SO SORRY!" she wailed.

"Ruby it's ok-

"I tried saving you and it-it was so h-hard! Cinder did all those horrible things to you and I-

"RUBY!" Weiss yelled.

Ruby jumped.

"Let Penny talk please."

"Ruby, I'm not mad at you. I love you very much and you did what you had to do. I'm not mad and I'm glad you did what you had too. You're my friend no matter what and I'm very glad that Weiss rebuilt me."

"Weiss rebuilt you?"

"Yup. While you were taking a long nap she spent that time fixing me."

"Weiss I-I…"

Weiss shook her head and hugged her leader.

"Calm down Ruby."

"Excuse me. I need to check Miss Rose out please," said the doctor.

"Can Roman stay?" Ruby asked.

"Of course," he said smiling.

Everyone left the room as Roman took a seat beside Ruby's bed. The doctor checked Ruby's legs and arms nodding. He checked her heart beat and then checked her scar. He pressed on it and felt around it but Ruby felt no pain.

"I'm going to send you home. Your legs are doing really good. Your body is repairing itself now since your awake. I'd advise no sexual activity for at least one month and I want you back every two weeks. No training for two months at least. Here's your papers; you're free to go."

Roman helped Ruby get dressed and he opened the door. Neo tackled Ruby hugging her happily. Ruby smiled hugging Neo tightly.

 ** _I'm glad you're ok!_**

"Me too," Ruby said.

 ** _Can I ask you a question? I know you just got done waking up and everything._**

"Go ahead Neo."

 ** _I can see Mercury today; he was transferred back to Vale. Can you go with me?_**

"No, she just got up Neo."

"No I can go. How long do we have?" Ruby asked happily.

 ** _An hour._**

"Well let's go!"

(Vale's Cell)

Neo helped Ruby walk down the long halls of the prison; she was still weak from her coma and needed assistance. The guards stopped them at a white door with eight locks on it. They unlocked each one with a different key and they slowly opened it. One guard went inside.

"Mercury Black; you have two visitors. They have unlimited time with you so behave yourself."

"I don't want to see anyone."

"It doesn't matter. It is mandatory."

"Fine let them in."

The guard walked out and went down the hallway to give them privacy. Neo and Ruby stepped in. At first Mercury had his usual cocky smile but when he realized who was there to see him, the smile faded. Ruby could see the hurt in his eyes as he stared down Neo.

"Who's that with you Neo?" he asked eyeing Ruby.

 ** _Ruby Rose._**

Mercury's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, you have changed a lot."

"A coma does that," Ruby said nervously smiling.

Neo pulled out a little black case and opened it. She pulled out a syringe.

"What are you doing- guards!" Mercury started yelling.

Apparently he thought Neo wanted revenge or something but to his surprised she stuck the needle into her throat and pressed the plunger down. She put the needle back into the black case and put it back in her jacket. She cleared her throat smiling at Ruby then at Mercury. Ruby was ready to hear her soft smooth voice again.

"Hi Mercury," Neo said.

Mercury was stunned.

"I have special shots I can use to help me talk when I want. I chose to use one of them today."

"Why?" he demanded.

Ruby leaned against the wall and sat down onto the floor.

"Sorry my legs are tired," she said smiling.

Neo nodded.

"I wanted to talk to you about what had happened a couple years ago. I know there were some things left unsaid and this is my chance to talk to you about it. I know why you did what you did. I came here to forgive you too."

Mercury's mouth opened slightly.

"Really?" he asked completely shocked.

Ruby loved how fast he lost his cool demeanor.

"Yes."

"You have a beautiful voice, Neo."

"Thank you," she said grinning.

Neo walked over to him and sat down on the floor in front of him. She took his hand and held it against her face making him stiffened up. Neo continued to look at him lovingly even though he looked scared. Ruby could see that he did in fact love her.

"Mercury," she whispered.

"Yes, Neo."

"Mercury I forgive for what you did."

Tears filled his eyes.

"Why?"

"I particularly don't agree with how forcefully you showed me your affection but you could've showed it to me in a better way. I'm not mad or upset anymore. I forgive you and I want you to give up information on anything Cinder had told you; please for me."

Mercury's face twisted into anger.

"This is all you care about?!" he yelled.

Neo's grip on his hand tighten.

"Of course! How else are you supposed to get out and be with me on the outside?"

Shock filled his eyes.

"What?"

"I want you to be with me on the outside. Of course I won't be able to talk to you except through signing but I hope that's not a problem."

Mercury lifted Neo off the ground as he stood up. He hugged her tightly emotions that were indescribable to Ruby filled his face. Neo wrapped her arms around his neck. To Ruby, Neo looked like a little kid since she was so short but it was cute none the less.

"Can you talk to someone now?" Neo whispered into his ear.

Mercury nodded.

"Ruby can you call Winter?" Neo asked.

Ruby dialed Winter's number and explained to her what was going on. Winter was thrilled to hear the news since there was a lot they didn't know. Ruby hung up with Winter in time to see Neo and Mercury kissing. Ruby blushed and looked away.

"What did you have to give up to talk to me?" Mercury asked.

"Seventy thousand Lien," Neo said.

"WHAT?"

"The mission we returned from on Atlas was going to pay that but I gave it up to talk to you. Since I was running up leader of RNR I wanted to talk to you instead."

Ruby grinned.

"I didn't know about it until today but I'm happy with her decision."

"Mr. Black are you ready?" Winter said.

"Yes."

Neo promised Mercury she'd be back tomorrow after Yang's wedding to get him. Ruby told Mercury he was going to have to get along with Roman and she would talk with Roman about the same thing. Mercury was surprised that Ruby would let him into her apartment but Neo told him about how Ruby let her and Roman in without a second thought.

Neo, Roman and Ruby went back to the apartment and passed out once night time came.

The next day Yang Xiao Long was going to be Yang Xiong.

(Yang's Wedding)

Ruby slipped on her red dress Yang had picked out for her. It was short with black lace trim at the bottom. Neo came running into Ruby's bedroom wearing her pink and white dress; Yang had made her the flower girl. Roman entered the bedroom next wearing a black tux with pinstripes. Ruby's face glowed red when she thought how sexy he looked.

"Are my two favorite ladies in the world ready?" he asked standing seductively in the doorway.

"Um yea…"

Neo elbowed her side raising her eyebrows.

"Shh Neo! Let's go!"

An hour later they were in Forever Fall Forest for Yang's wedding. Even though Ruby had questioned her choice considering there were Grimm but Yang insisted because of how beautiful it was. Everyone turned around to watch Yang and Taiyang walk down the aisle. Her dress was white fading to yellow at the bottom.

Yang and Junior said their vows and sealed it with a kiss.

Everyone cheered happily for the new couple.

Ruby gazed up at Roman meeting his green eyes.

"Roman…"

"Don't worry Red; that'll be us in a couple of years. I love you Ruby Rose."

Roman tilted her face towards his and kissed her passionately.


End file.
